Deborah Choma

The Etiquette of Time Management

noreply@blogger.com (Deborah Choma) — Wed, 08 Aug 2012 13:26:00 +0000

Has it every occurred to you that all of us are accountable for how our time is consumed?

Everyone is poor in at least one area of life.

Time management is rarely taught yet necessary to learn. Without it, gifted people underachieve. With it, average men shine. Some people claim that multitasking increases your time management and other experts argue that it wastes time in the long run. Some say, "Make a to-do-list," whilst others say that it just takes up more time.

A lack of time management will make you poor in at least one area of your life. Perhaps the issue of time management is reflected through poor relationships, poor health, poor attitudes, poor manners, or poor sleeping habits.

Regardless of what you struggle with, time management is essential for reaching your potential. How do you expect to be respectful, polite, and show gratitude, if your life runs on overdrive 24/7?

Has it ever occurred to you how uncivilized you have become toward others? Perhaps your inappropriateness is apparent to the people in your business and personal environments, yet you fail to acknowledge how your behavior has declined over time. For the most part, you get away with pushing others around verbally and when confronted with opposition to your distasteful ways you either brush the conflict under the carpet or deny that introspection or the need for correction exists.

At which point do those red flags appear and highlight the cascading effect of your words and deeds towards your spouse, child, loved one, colleague, or friend? Do you realize there is a cause and affect in our behavior?

If you can relate to anything I have said thus far, then I encourage you with this; something as simple as time management will benefit your relationships and your individual performance across the board.

If you are in business then you understand the need to schedule short and long-term goals. You are also aware of the importance of a steady flow of business and the decisions made to ensure that you are in fact, still in business next year.

Why do the majority of us handle relationships like they can maintain themselves?

If you were a plant sown into a new garden would you expect to survive if you were never attended to? You are positioned in a bed of sand with no nutrient-rich soil. Other than an occasional rainfall, you are never watered. In fact, soon after you are planted, a big fat grub comes along and gobbles you up into a stem existence.

Faith works in much the same way and will have no bearing if we put little effort or work into our relationships.

Every area of our life requires faith. Not just our business. It would do us well to measure those things that we consider a priority against what God has to say in the Scriptures. After all, he is the Author and Finisher of our faith and every one of us, Believer and non-believer, has a measure of faith.

The Bible says in Romans 12:3 "For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith."

The evidence of how we appropriate our faith will eventually rise to the surface. The evidence of how you manage your time and nurture relationships will become apparent to everyone, including you.

Matthew 5-7 contains the Sermon on the Mount. In the midst of this message, Jesus addresses time management.

Our time is spent either laying up treasures on earth or in Heaven. God desires for every Believer to lay up treasures in Heaven. In verse 23 of Matthew 6, God says "For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also."

God sees our treasure investment as a heart issue.

Our time is spent serving God or serving money. Mathew 6:24 teaches us that "No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon."

Mammon is the master we serve when we chase treasure on earth. According to Jesus we cannot serve both. Though we justify trying to have it both ways, we cannot. Much time is spent serving mammon out of fear instead of serving God by faith. We will always worry about our food and clothing. Jesus dispels our fear by commanding us to consider the well-fed birds and clothed flowers as evidence of His provision. You are far more valuable than a bird or a flower.

What makes a difference in our time management is parallel to our pursuits and the appropriating of them. In other words, we make time for what is important to us.

Allow me to unzip my heart and share a portion of my own life. I have owned, managed, achieved, and lived a very impressive life.

Over a number of years and a successful business in Sydney, Australia, our company turned over 8.5 million a year. Not bad for a small business. Great for life's comforts and treasures. Nonetheless, what lay before me was a wake up call from God and I had no idea it was brewing, much less, how it was to affect my future.

In 1999 God figuratively pulled the rug from under my feet and like Alice in Wonderland, I fell down a dark hole. There was zero knowledge of where I would land.

Unfortunately, I had lost focus on God and His plan for my life. With a passion for business, being the best, earning as much money as I could, God was a mere token in the equation.

Satan will use anything to distract us from what we are to pursue. He will make the package attractive, achievable, reasonable, and irresistible. What we do not realize is that God will use anything and everything to get our attention, even our earthly pursuits. What He will not do is put up with our disobedience.

My whole world was turned inside out. It did not ramp down through a fragile economy. Business was booming with great increase from every side. Metaphorically speaking, I was taken out by a Tsunami.

I lost everything; a husband, home, car, furniture, clothing, children, every possessions; prestige, power, position, sameness, friends, business, insurance, life-savings, securities, investments...everything, including a homeland for forty-five years.

Being left with the reality of who I was before an Almighty God, it was then that I learned to ":stand still, and consider the wondrous works of God." Job 13:15

It was then that I sought truth, wisdom, and understanding from the Scriptures, a book that forges faith, decisions, and pursuits.

Confidence in God is the grand safeguard in trouble and a preparation for deliverance from it. My strength had been anchored to the quicksand of society and in one clean swoop it all disappeared.

Never think it will not happen to you.

Our confidence must be the sum total of a faith in God alone and a reflection of what we pursue that is Eternally based.

Thirteen-years later, and I have never been stronger. Amidst the loss and heartache I go on to say "Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: but I will maintain mine own ways before him."

Jesus desires to reward us greatly in Heaven and reminds us that the amount of time we have left to manage, is fleeting.

As a Believer, how should we manage our time?

Decide what is important to pursue. Matthew 6 teaches us that regardless of the good things we pursue, our priority must be to pursue God. You may have thoughts of your career, home, car, or anything else that falls under the canopy of material possessions. The Bible teaches us that God will add what we need when we first seek Him and His Kingdom. Pursue God first and your dream second.

Matthew 6:33 teaches "But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you."

All these things...not just some things - ALL THESE THINGS!

Choose what helps you fulfill your purpose. What is your purpose? If you are a born-again Believer, your purpose is in sowing the Gospel. If you are the provider in your family, your purpose is to provide for the well-being of your family members.

What do you not want to fail at?

What do you want to accomplish?

What is the mission statement for your life?

What drives you to get up every morning?

What makes you go to work?

What inspires you to achieve?

Answering these questions helps us to define our purpose.

Schedule around your focus. A focus enables us to obtain our pursuits and fulfill our purpose. When managing time, only schedule those things that will achieve a result. There are urgent times that will beg for our attention. Those are things that force us to part with our time. There are important matters that we must care for. However, they do not squeeze us for our time.

Spend time on your pursuits and purpose. Avoid everything that is more than two steps from your focus.

The heart of the issue, is that we spend too much time doing things that point to nothing. Facebook is an example of spending too much time on something that leads to nothing and distracts us from our focus. Yes, it can be a great tool for social media and your business. However, the majority of people spend excess time on Facebook.

This begs a question? Have you spent as much time in your Bible and prayer this week as you have on Facebook?

Schedule your priorities.

What do you do that no one else can do?

What do you do that earns you the right to do what no one else can do?

Answering these questions will help you to define your priorities.

In finishing, could you train someone to do what you do? Jesus did. He trained twelve men to turn the world upside down.

When prioritizing, give weight to the gifts that God uniquely poured into you.

Never forget, that in God's great mercy He provides for us whether or not we serve Him. What makes a difference in time management is that some people consume themselves with the pursuit of sustenance. Allow God to take care of all your needs while you pursue Him and lay up treasure in Heaven. We are accountable for how we consume ourselves each day, month, year---lifetime.

In His Strength,

Deborah

Treat Everyone With Politeness

noreply@blogger.com (Deborah Choma) — Tue, 26 Jun 2012 00:44:00 +0000

I conducted a study a couple of weeks ago at a baseball game. Armed with a list of specific questions on personal conduct, I approached a number of parents ranging in ages from 25-35, and asked for a response from each couple on their manners. Each set had several children between the ages of 1-10. The lack of basic manners was alarming.

Ranking with the lowest score were the following questions:

Are you aware of offending behavior when you interrupt a conversation? The answer for all couples was “No.”
How many times in a week are you aware of others in your surroundings? When you open and walk through a door, do you glance to ensure the door does not close in someone's face? The answer for all couples was “No."

Our investment into the lives of younger parents and our next generation is vital.

"Are You Aware?" is a thought-provoking question which poses further inquiry.

Are you aware of others' and their needs?
Are you aware of your actions and the implications and ramifications?
Are you aware of the impact that your body language has?
Are you aware of offensive behavior?
Are you aware of your direct influence - good or bad?
Are you aware of the little day-to-day choices collectively sending you forward or backward in your life, and taking others with you in the process?
Are you aware of the way you dress and what message this sends to others?
Are you aware of the music you listen to and how it degrades or cultivates a respectful environment?
Are you aware of your conversation? Do you cultivate or criticize others?

Without awareness of our responsibility to cultivate a civilized circle of influence, we have little chance of ever changing the lives of others. We must learn to respect ourselves and expect more of ourselves before we will ever respect others.

Bullying is an abuse - private or public. Furthermore, private self-abuse exists long before public abuse. What we think about ourselves eventually manifests into what others think about us. We eventually act out what we have internalized. Rubbish in – rubbish out.

The Bible says in Luke 6:45 “A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh.”

The spontaneity of the heart is unavoidable. Our words reveal the grace or the venom in our hearts. Our behavior reflects politeness or impoliteness through a regard or disregard for others.

• Are you a respecter of persons and property?

When Caleb and I go shopping, I do not allow him to walk in front of people nor do I allow him to walk along the edges of the fridge compartments. He is not to touch anything unless we are discussing or making a purchase. These guidelines are in place to instill in Caleb a respect for others’ and a respect for the property of others’. If he chooses to do otherwise, with eye contact he is reminded, “Caleb, respect the property of others.”

Yes, little things do matter and those little things are like individual pearls on a strand. One-by-one, the little things we do in our life eventually string together for good or for bad.

In finishing this story, we frequent the isles of Costco. Our son, Caleb, helps. We taste test and discuss the different produce. He is involved. Not always is this convenient because of personal agenda. However, his outcome has a lot to do with our input. Costco is a conduit for teaching and training Caleb, his character slowly etched.

I make him feel valuable through creating a need. When I ask him for advice or help, he feels needed, wanted, and important. "Caleb, what do you think I should do? Should I make this or that?" "Caleb, is fructose corn syrup one of the ingredients on that packet?"

When I injured my arm, to ease pressure on the injury, Caleb and I would have a cart each. He took care of the fridge items whilst I took care of the non-fridge items. His cart was always much heavier. In creating a need for Caleb, I am bridging self worth.

For the most part, our lives are a perpetuation of our own self-sufficiency. In the process, we neglect to allow others to be involved and to become a valuable part of life.

I am blessed to be injured. It has taught me to pause and assess my own functionality and the importance of involving others and seeing them as a valuable contribution.

Yes, the little ways we can involve others, we must. For those seemingly unimportant things accumulate to greater things.

In my opinion, our greatest potential as parents to train up and influence another person’s life is for the most part neglected. Our own lack of awareness in the little things that do count is cause for introspection. It is never too late to make a difference.

People are hungry to learn a better way. We ought to be greatly encouraged by this.

Always remember, in your business and your busyness, that anyone can teach. Not everyone can ignite understanding. When we give lots of understandable examples that make sense out of the information we are transferring, it has the potential of transforming the individual.

Make a difference in your day by making a difference in the life of another.

The Etiquette of Borrowing

noreply@blogger.com (Deborah Choma) — Wed, 20 Jun 2012 19:08:00 +0000

May I share a quote that befits the topic of borrowing something from someone else?

Remember, people will judge you by your actions not your intentions. “You may have a heart of gold but so does a hard-boiled egg.”

Character stands on stilts when we keep our word.

My father reminded me of this principle often until it became a way of life for me.

If I were to borrow a book from someone, then I must treat another's possession with the same dignity and respect I show toward someone I hold in the highest esteem - myself.

“Be known as a respecter of persons and property, Deborah,” Father would say.

One day, a young graduate asked me to look over their work and a draft of their very first book ever authored. This prized possession became the object of my care, respect, and timely return. It was precious to Miss _____.

On opposite sides of the world, a wealthy lady asked me for an opinion on an authentic family heirloom penned by a great, great, great grandmother and scholar, Lady ________. This prized possession became the object of my care, respect, and timely return. It was precious to Lady _____.

For Miss _____, and Lady _____, their possessions were of equal value. This validated the care and respect I imparted in equal portion.

The heart of any issue is an issue of the heart. Nothing happens by chance. We are the sum total of our actions, which are a reflection of our character and substance. Possessions are attached to the heart of each individual - some more, some less. Nonetheless, it is a heart issue.

Regardless of the value, taking something that does not belong to you and then not returning it, is theft. Furthermore, when we need or want something from others, we are at their mercy.

Most recently, this scenario has personally affected me. The object was something other than a book. Without going into detail, how this person made me feel and perhaps how others feel when mistreated, was disrespected and defrauded.

Because there is a cause and effect with all our actions, over time, like invisible signage, in large bold lettering, their label reads - indiscretion and insincerity.

Now the moral to the story is, "If you want to live comfortably and honestly in this world, then DO RIGHT!

A Lending Tip:

I have a sticky note with my name, address, phone number, and a space for a date. This glides into the front cover of each book as a reminder of when I loaned the book. Accountability polishes our character and is a reminder that we have a responsibility in this life to treat others with courteousness and decency.

My father had another statement that I would hear often, "Use common courtesy and common decency, Deborah."

Daddy, I live to remind you that common is not so common anymore.

We are going to be treated badly in this life. There is not one person that can say, "I have never done the wrong thing by anyone." We are all guilty of indiscretion. The bad that happens in life is our classroom.

Get wise about the little things in life. Wisdom, is transferring what you have learned and lived by setting an example, onto others. Do not be afraid to push others up the hill toward victory and success. Who stands beside them on the peak?

Luke 16:12 says, "And if ye have not been faithful in that which is another man's, who shall give you that which is your own?"

As stewards on this earth, we are entrusted with possessions and we earn trust with other's possessions. We are all liable to the same charge; we have not made due improvement of what God has trusted us with. Are you trustworthy? Can your friends rely on your word? Do you return what you borrow from them in a timely manner?

Little things matter in life. What may be little to you is huge to another. Collectively, it is the way we handle the small, discreet affairs of our life that affirm to others our honesty and integrity. In not returning what we borrow from others in a timely manner, we demonstrate a disrespect and a lack of integrity on our part. Yes, little things do matter. Why would God entrust us with the bigger things if we cannot take care of the little things?

A further tip for organizing the return of books or other items that belong to someone else, is in planning a return date. This will prepare you to schedule it on your calendar or in your planner. Set yourself a reminder.

In finishing, may I remind you that the riches that make up our possessions of this world are deceitful and uncertain. Let us be convinced that those who are truly very rich are those who are rich in faith and rich toward God, rich in Christ and in His promises; let us then lay up our treasure in Heaven and expect our portion from thence.

It is never too late to correct our ways. If you are in possession of someone else's possessions and time has lapsed, do right and return what is rightfully theirs. Perhaps today is a good opportunity to clear your closets.

I love you,

Deborah

Impossible Victory

noreply@blogger.com (Deborah Choma) — Mon, 11 Jun 2012 18:57:00 +0000

Consider this; we are as weak today as the day of our Salvation. We never become strong enough to sustain ourselves. Whatever we can do on our own, without God, is not of God. For what He purposes for us to do, we cannot do on our own, without Him.

Perhaps you are a professional, a parent, business owner, or construction worker; your station in life is irrelevant in comparison to your view of God and understanding what His purpose is for your life.

The day you realize everything is about what God has and can do for you, is the day your life will begin to transform.

What you are about to read lies in the deep recesses of Deborah’s heart. You cannot get more transparent than this. The grace of God enables us, through obedience, to respond uniquely to grief.

As I pose a question; from a heart that was broken and then beautified through the Word of God, prayerfully allow Him to open your eyes to what He wants to teach and then direct you towards.

On May 19 of this year, my father was in a serious car accident. His life ended nine days later. Living more than nine thousand miles away seemed almost unbearable. Using this time of sorrow to redefine the direction of my life, is a decision that has since had a profound impact.

This is a mini-memoir of the life and passing away of a father. He fulfilled a unique purpose on this earth. He was a gift to his children and grandchildren. Far from flawless, he exemplified greatness in his day-to-day life. The consistency of day-to-day goodness makes a great man or woman. He was great in his daily conduct. Through maturity and understanding, I have begun to mirror my father as I weave and apply the principles that governed his life, throughout my day.

He spoke of God’s Word continually.

His garments and grooming were poised and polished. Always courteous, he conducted his life discreetly as he cared for the needs of others. He took life’s challenges and pitfalls to prayer. Dad’s faith was real and transferable. He set an example of what patience and endurance during adversity ought to be. He patterned morals and manners.

Since the accident, I have embraced each day with the specific purpose to seek wisdom and instruction from the Word of God. Our goal is to grow beyond grief and transfer what we learn onto other women.

It costs to grow and it is worth it.

When you lose control of your life consequentially or accidentally, the outcome varies according to the steps we take immediately following the event and over the next few weeks during our shock and numbness. Life altering events are a conduit for use or abuse. If we do not allow God to move us upward in life, then when the dust settles, we go backward in life.

Growing pains are essential. Joy comes when we overcome.

Life is full of good and bad experiences. Three cycles are in continuance - the beginning of a tough time, the midst of a tough time, or having just come through a tough time. This pattern repeats itself continually.

Understand, that we win great victories long before anyone notices. In the solitude of our home, the private victories fashion the greater victories. There are hard things to learn in life and on our worst days we have the potential to overcome some of our biggest challenges. It is possible to change our lives through a Divine perspective.

I have outlined a few select verses that remind me of God's strength and how we can have daily access to it when we are hurting. Embracing them will have a life-changing purpose. How they will empower you to have victory during the impossible rests on your ability to let go of your life and allow God to take control of everything.

Applying these lessons is a daily exercise of our faith. How do we grow in our faith or use what little faith we have? Faith comes by hearing the Word of God and in our willingness to apply it to our lives through an act of obedience. Read your bible aloud and listen to the preaching each week. Your faith will grow, as will your desire for obedience.

If you have reached the crossroad of your life and change is in the wind, do not go back to old ways and habits. If you always do what you've always done, you'll always get what you always have. Nothing will change for you if you figuratively go back to the ways you came from.

The following verses are a portion of what I have personally armed myself with during some of the toughest days of my life.

Psalms 18:2 “The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower."

God has many ways to help and He will. Our faith is for exercising. If need be, flex your faith multiple times during the day. How do we do this? Through reading His Word (His heart), pouring our complaint out to God (not man) and being specific when we pray. When we apply the preaching of God’s Word each week with a resolve to overcome, we will then have victory. Victory does not mean a change of circumstances. Our heart will be won through a change of attitude.

We grow to know and understand the preciousness of God when we read and apply His Word. God must be the object of our faith or our faith is mere presumption.

Psalms 18:32 "It is God that girdeth me with strength, and maketh my way perfect."
Psalms 27:1 "The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?"

When we trust Christ as our Saviour then the byproducts change our life day after day. He is our joy, comfort, guide, teacher, and in every sense, our light. Our life must derive all its strength from God.

Psalms 29:11 “The LORD will give strength unto his people; the LORD will bless his people with peace."

God governs everything. We must not forget this. He completes His own purposes despite our inadequacies or weaknesses.

The Psalms is full of God’s promises repeating aloud; in our weakness we grow to understand that our strength comes from Him alone. We are only ever strong when we govern the affairs of our life for Him and through Him. We cannot make it without Him! God has designed for us to experience His peace each day regardless of the circumstances of our life. This is a direct result of our obedience to the reading of His Word. Our faith reflects the choices we make. There is a blessing when we seek Him.

Psalms 46:1 “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble."

This verse is a covenant blessing and teaches us to take comfort in God when things look very black and threatening. We all have a black day. This means, it is not merely to look at but to also appropriate. God loves us to employ Him. The more burdens we put on His shoulders the more precious He becomes to us.

Trust and wait on Him. Be patient. God is present---helping us to bear trouble, to improve it, and to survive it.

Psalms 73:26 " My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever."

Our experience of God's all sufficiency are fullest and highest when created comforts fail us. As we stand in our greatest need He is then able to pass on His Divine influence and relief. The frailty of our flesh produces the flourishing of our faith.

Psalms 105:4 “Seek the LORD, and his strength: seek his face evermore." Seek, seek, and seek Him.

We have the word "seek" repeated and though the words differ in the Hebrew the sense is the same. We can be confident of a blessing. To seek His face is to desire His presence, His smile, and His favor, which we will consciously enjoy. The more we know the more we must seek to know.

We fetch our strength from God through faith and prayer. Faith comes by hearing the Word of God and through obedience. When you read the Scriptures, recite them aloud.

How Can We Seek The Lord's Strength? By desiring to be subject to His Word and supported by it. The Scriptures equip us for service and being in tune with His strength through others.

The cadence of learning God’s heart and seeking to apply what He is teaching us to our lives every day, ought to be a perpetual occupation.

Let God be God in your life and stop trying to run things by your own steam. We cannot make it without Him. Remember, whatever we can do on our own, without God, is not of God. For what He purposes for us to do, we cannot do on our own, without Him.

Regardless of where you are in life, do not wait for the dark days to know God’s sustaining strength. God is no respecter of persons. His blessings are available and we all have access to Him – daily!

You are not alone in your grief. Someone has gone before you as an example of perfect love and sacrifice. God sent His only Son, Jesus Christ, to die on the cross for the sins of mankind. He sacrificed His life so that we may live ours eternally. There is no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus.

Then there are those who have gone before you in grief and who have come through the other side of their suffering with a better understanding of how weak all of us truly are. Look at the bigger picture. Joy will come. Be patient with yourself and patient with what God is doing in your life. There are no “Whoops” with God.

In finishing, imagine your life as a spiritual gas tank. When you feel empty, where do you go? We all learn to read the needle regardless of how low we allow the fuel to evaporate. For some of us, half empty sends us bolting for a refill. Unfortunately, for others the reserve dries out long before the need is acknowledged. On the outside we may look polished and in peak performance. However, on the inside we all have the same need.

Our spiritual lives run on God’s strength - not ours. Just as sure as our car needs fuel to operate, we need Christ to manage our lives. We will never grow strong enough to sustain ourselves. We love to exalt ourselves. Life is always going to be a contest with self and learning to push self aside and exalt God is the goal.

Do not just survive life. Victory and survival look the same on the outside. When we survive the Christian life we always have an attitude. People with this mentality go around with an unpleasant outlook. Victory always reflects joy and people who are in this manner go about with an engaging presence.

God anointed us with the oil of gladness not sadness. Psalm 100:2 says, “Serve the LORD with gladness: come before his presence with singing.”

Ask God for the grace to enable you to handle your problems.

In His Strength,

Deborah

Civility In The Home

noreply@blogger.com (Deborah Choma) — Wed, 09 May 2012 22:39:00 +0000

A number of years ago, I had the privilege of test driving a Volvo in Gothenberg, Sweden. It was a delightful experience! I was part of a group and we were each given a car, a map, and a set of instructions. Our job was to follow the protocol. The directions were simple and logical; drive on the correct side of the road, look at the map, and follow the guidelines. Off we went.

I had never been to Gothenberg, Sweden, much less driven on the opposite side of the road to what I was used to. After following the map and a list of rules, I finally arrived to my destination safely. A couple of hours later I looked up and noticed a couple arriving to the restaurant as we were getting ready to leave. Unfortunately, they had lost their way. Rather than follow the map and the instructions, they created their own scenic tour and took off in the hope of reaching their destination a lot faster.

Having a family, to a varying degree, is a unique experience. For some, it can be as foreign as driving on the opposite side of the road. For others, it may feel more natural. Just how do we turn out a successful family? What foundation do we follow…a clear definition…a thoughtful process?

When my husband and I were married, we made a decision to write down a list of values. What became important to us was a formula for, what we believed, would empower our own family. The wisdom we formulated came through the words of King Solomon.

Sometimes we can have a bad attitude in life. Other times we don’t see the bigger picture of how our behavior can have a negative impact on others. Our homes are a training ground for cultivating great families.

A wise lady once told me, “Deborah, a great family is merely a good family practicing good things each day.” This made me feel like I could do it! One day at a time, the little changes we make do add up.

If we go through life without direction, then figuratively we can be carried away like a grass seed in the wind. Who knows where we will end up?

In a thousand different ways, our children absorb our values by witnessing actions, behaviors, and attitudes. The real legacy we leave in our children’s lives, is what we have lived out before them. Here, then, is the pressing question for any parent: “Is my lifestyle filled with good stuff, which will form a bond of security and civility for my children?”

King Solomon says in Proverbs 4:26 “Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established.”

That’s exciting! If we earnestly and prayerfully consider our cause as a family, then the effect is that our family will be guided in the right way – and yours will too! On the other hand, thoughtlessness tends to disappointment, shame and often, despair.

There have been times along the path of my own life when I have been off track. We are a work in progress. In fact, we are all a work of art! Our families are precious and what we follow reinforces our beliefs and directives. Would you allow me to share some of what keeps our family sweet and unique?

Our Family Mission Statement goes something like this:

To be kind, respectful, and supportive of each other
To be honest and transparent with each other, in a spirit of love and acceptance
To keep a spiritual feeling in our home
To demonstrate love toward each other
To be personally responsible for living a joy-filled and fruitful life
To build up those who God has placed over us, through our public and private conversation and through our deeds; my husband, my parents, my authority
To guard our words and conversation
To look for the good in each other and the good in others
To not complain
To build our home through our words
The work together for a greater cause
To be grateful and to appreciate our family for the gift that it is

Why don’t you take this opportunity to make up your own statement? It does not have to be complete for it to have an influence. Involve everyone! The key is to start with your own values for your family and build on it.

Our families are a gift from God. I would encourage you to set some goals. Children need to follow something. If they do not know what to follow, they will follow anything.

I believe in you,

Deborah

Not So Common Courtesy

noreply@blogger.com (Deborah Choma) — Tue, 01 May 2012 19:16:00 +0000

Even as this article is being written, there is a cell phone ringing in church or in a library. Someone is probably talking with their mouth full or chewing gum while they take your food order.

In our fast paced world it is easy to forget some of the common courtesies that should be basic and non-negotiable. Unfortunately many people appear to have forgotten the manners that were taught to them by their parents and grandparents and sadly, others do not appear to have ever been taught any manners at all.

As a five year old young lady, my mother carved a passion for poise and confidence into me. She exemplified a lady. Attending a Physical Culture Academy in Sydney, Australia, it was not long before I grew an appetite for poise and confidence. As a group of aspiring young ladies, we worked hard at learning how to sit, stand, and walk with grace and ease. Our posture was corrected and our manners were polished. From there, I have continued to study and grow a passion for style and etiquette.

The Bible teaches us in Titus 2:5 “To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed.” How often has thoughtless indiscretion caused great hurt to others? Being thoughtful of people and our surroundings is a Biblical principle.

It is not hard to behave in a socially correct way; however, the masses seem to think that having a bit of decorum is "old fashioned" or "boring". Obviously, this is not true. If people would take a few moments to review the basic rules of good etiquette, they would find it to be most helpful for their personal lives and in their business relationships as well.

Outlined below are protocols that will help to refine the social graces and improve the impression that others have of you.

Basic Politeness

Showing politeness is not difficult. It is simple to say "please", "thank you", "you are welcome", and "excuse me". These phrases show that a person is considerate of others. If someone is rude and they are not your favorite person, it is better to be polite to them rather than sinking to their level.

Men, Remove Your Hat Indoors

Most young men of today do not seem to be aware of the fact that it is considered rude to wear a hat (mostly ball caps these days) indoors. Gentlemen, when you enter a building, please remove hats and caps.

Hold That Door

This is a rule that does not just apply to men anymore. Yes, men should still hold the door for ladies and allow them to enter or exit first, but ladies are not exempt from holding the door for their elders or someone who might have their hands full. And while it might seem an outdated notion, nothing says "gentleman" like going around to the passenger side to open the car door for a lady.

Be On Time

There is nothing worse than to be kept waiting and if you are the offending party who is late, it is just rude. If you tend to always run late set your clocks 10 or 15 minutes ahead, so you will arrive on time.

Do Not Groom Yourself in Public

If you have something that needs picking, scratching, combing, or any other form of grooming, please do not do it in mixed company. Take your personal needs to the restroom or wait until you get home. Ladies, it is not etiquette to quickly apply a little lipstick in public. It is not okay to pull out a compact and a suitcase full of cosmetics and start redoing your face at the table in a restaurant. Also, please refrain from clipping and filing your nails in public. This is crude.

Keep Gum Chewing To a Minimum

If you must chew gum for a legitimate reason such as having bad breath or dry mouth, try to do it in your car between stops. If it is absolutely necessary to chew gum in a public place, please do not smack it, chomp it, or blow bubbles with it.

Turn the Ringer Off

When entering any public establishment the first thing you should do is set your cell phone to vibrate. Remember you do not have to answer every call, that is what voice mail is for. If you know that it is a call of importance, excuse yourself and move to the lobby or another room to take the call. Keep the call time short and let your caller know that you will return their call at your earliest convenience.

Keep the Conversation Polite

When engaging in conversation, whether it is at work, or in a more social setting, never bring up money, religion, or politics. These subjects are a powder keg waiting to explode. On the subject of exploding, please refrain from speaking loudly, yelling, or using profanity.

Simply put, good manners are a sign that you have consideration for others and extending these common courtesies shows that you have respect.

Yes, manners do count!

In finishing, this statement penned by Ronald Regan, is one that has inspired me - "I know in my heart that man is good, that what is right will always eventually triumph, and there is purpose and worth to each and every life.

God thinks we are worth the investment, and so do I!

Deborah

Which Fork?

noreply@blogger.com (Deborah Choma) — Tue, 27 Mar 2012 16:04:00 +0000

At the heart of an Anne Tyler novel that was suggested for me to read, was a belief that, "If you had the chance, would you go back and take another fork in the road, knowing you would lead an entirely different life?"

If you were to present this question in an interview, my answer would be a simply, "No."

The similarity I have with Anne Tyler is that I am a private person who rarely lets the demands or distractions interfere with family life. My home is a haven, and those whom God has entrusted to me, are protected at all cost and sacrifice.

Life has had many struggles for me however, my qualities and character are shining examples of His magnificence and purpose for all things - good and bad.

No, I would not change a thing. I am the sum total of a road that was either precisely or consequentially taken. All of it has brought me to the present, and an ever increasing closeness to God and awareness of others.

We all have a story, a burden, and a need. However we choose to walk, the ability to keep walking lies in the choices we make. There isn’t a problem too big for God. You decide!

I have a friend who daily faces some of the toughest struggles that any of us collectively would ever have to face. She lives with the knowledge, that at any moment her life can be halted by her precarious physical condition. As I encouraged her on the phone yesterday, I quietly wept as she unzipped her heart. She inspires me to rise above my mediocre thinking. To allow God to do that which He does best, that we may know "the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus." 1 Tim 1:14

As I read portions of Psalm 46 to my friend, I decided to revisit this Psalm today and pull the verses apart. Every day, I pray for knowledge, wisdom, and understanding. I have never been disappointed. God answers our prayers.

Psalm 46

1 “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.”

Notice the emphasis on is. An absolute!

2 “Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea;”

This verse is describing the great flood. (Gen 7,8)

3 “Though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof.” Selah.

The focus is on the flood. As bad as it could get, God is reminding us, that His position has never changed. At the end of this verse, He places ‘Selah’ – which means to pause and think.

4 “There is a river, the streams whereof shall make glad the city of God, the holy place of the tabernacles of the most High.”

The river is fulfilled in Rev 22:1 – New river. The city of God is Jerusalem.

5 “God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved: God shall help her, and that right early.”

6 “The heathen raged, the kingdoms were moved: he uttered his voice, the earth melted.”

Melted, that is, lost its importance.

7 “The LORD OF HOSTS is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge.” Selah.

8 “Come, behold the works of the LORD, what desolations he hath made in the earth.”

This is a prophetic verse, concerning Christ.

9 “He maketh wars to cease unto the end of the earth; he breaketh the bow, and cutteth the spear in sunder; he burneth the chariot in the fire.”

This verse is fulfilled, Christ’s Kingdom, in Rev 20:4, 6 & Ezk 39:9

10 “Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.”

Another prophetic verse, and can be read in Rev 20:4, 6 & Num 24:7 & Isa 2:11, 17

11 “The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge.” Selah.

These Covenant blessings are not meant to be solely looked at, but to be appropriated. Even our Lord Jesus is given to us for our present use. For the most part, we do not make use of Christ as we ought. When we are in trouble, why do we withhold our grief from Him? Has He not a sympathizing heart, and can He not comfort and relieve us? No, we go about to all our friends, save our best Friend, and tell our tale everywhere except into the bosom of our Lord.

Are you burdened with the day's grief or sins? Here is a fountain filled with blood: use it, friend, use it! Has a sense of guilt returned to you? The pardoning grace of Jesus may be proved again and again. Come to Him for cleansing. Do you deplore your weakness? He is our strength: why not lean on Him? Do you feel exposed? Bring your soul closer; put on the robe of Jesus' righteousness. Don’t stand looking at it, but wear it! Strip off your own righteousness and your own fears too: put on the fair white linen, for it was meant to be worn. Do you feel sick? Pull the night-bell of prayer, and call up the Beloved Physician! He will give the cordial that will revive you. Poor, we have "a kinsman, a mighty man of wealth."

Ask Him to give of His abundance, as He has given us this promise, that thou shalt be joint heir with Him, and has made over all that He is and all that He has to be ours.

There is nothing Christ dislikes more than for His disciples to make a show-thing of Him, and not to use Him. He loves to be employed by us. The more burdens we put on His shoulders, the more precious will He be to us.

There are two steps to changing anything in our life. Believing in God’s ability to arm us with all that we need, and by receiving. Until you receive what you believe, you haven’t got it!

Partner with God in everything.

I believe in you!

Deborah

Disciplined Mind - Poise & Balance

noreply@blogger.com (Deborah Choma) — Wed, 14 Mar 2012 12:21:00 +0000

Achievable balance is a goal that I aim for each day. At the completion of a full week, I access the order, consistency, and purpose. It is not hard to figure out, if I have allowed myself to be distracted to the detriment of my achieving anything worthwhile. There can be so many pursuits and time wasters.

Last week, I figuratively fell into the arms of adversity. It overwhelmed me for three days, and I could not shield myself from the blows that fell. I bowed and surrenders to the burdens of life, but I did not allow myself to be broken by them.

We all have a story, and without a doubt, I know God will use my present, to heal the hurts of other's past, and inspire the lives of many women who hope and dream of achieving more balance and extraordinary goals.

There is nothing that we suffer without an Eternal purpose. Every hardship, challenge, pothole, or even pit, has a Divine purpose. We must never forget, good and bad are "Father Filtered." He allows it all!

We achieve balance by bringing all our faculties and powers under control. As a result, we have poise and grace; not panicking or indulging in maudlin self-pity when tossed by crosscurrents.
You are not alone in your battle! Fix your eyes on Jesus. The life of a Believer must come to a place of resolving that, God alone, in the midst of our trials and suffering, our triumphs and achievements, is in control and ever present in our hour of need, and our moment of glory. He is all sufficient, through our various deficiencies.

After three days of facing and acknowledging the tough stuff in my life, I aligned myself with a friend, who has suffered more than most of us will ever collectively encounter. If there were ever a female Job, my friend is a living testimony; inspirational, real, and full of grace. She has risen courageously and heroically, to meet death, life, and everything else in between - and conquer it!

We must resolutely face our duties and be governed by a sense of responsibility. As a Believer, we all have inward resources and personal reserves, which are the wonder of weaker souls. I have learned to bring adversity under tribute, and to compel it to serve me. When I am broken, my spirit still soars.

When our mind controls our actions, we will always loose. You cannot trust the inconsistency of your thoughts and actions. They must be aligned, assessed, and disciplined daily. The battlefield is not our problems. The war we face in our lives is in the thoughts and imaginations of our minds.

It is a wonderful age in which we live—an age of technology, which puts a world of information at our fingertips. Unfortunately, our fingers can do more walking down the information highway than God ever intended. There is danger on this road, and it is strewn with the carcasses of many good men and women, who never thought they would end up as road kill—men and women who partook in pleasures that were laced with the consequences of sin. The information highway is not a new road; it has merely been renamed. One man who walked this path before us was

King David. He didn't fall into sin via a computer monitor, but he fell nonetheless. And what a price he paid! It’s all recorded in one of the most famous chapters of the Bible—Psalm 51, the recorded prayer of David after he had committed adultery and followed it with a murder to cover his lover's pregnancy. Instead of a prompt repentance, David ran from God for an entire year.
While he ran, he littered the roadway with such grief and woe that he was compelled to write about it to warn those who would follow.

I urge you to take a moment and read Psalm 51 in its entirety before continuing so you can more fully comprehend the following descriptions of the awful suffering David endured because of sexual sin. Today’s lesson examines the consequences of David’s sin. David heard the story of a man’s little ewe lamb (2 Samuel 12:1-4). While still running from God, David was approached by the courageous prophet Nathan, who was sent by God on a holy mission of confrontation. Nathan wisely appealed to the protective nature of the king in relating a story about two neighbors. One man was wealthy, surrounded by enormous herds of cattle and flocks of sheep. Nearby lived a poor man whose only solace in life was a single little ewe lamb, which he loved like a daughter. It had grown up with his children. It ate from the family table, and even napped with her master.

As custom dictated, when a traveler stopped for the night at the rich man's home, his host was obligated to provide him a bed and a meal. However, instead of killing one of his own sheep, the miserly man stole the poor man’s ewe lamb, killed it, and dressed it for dinner. David demanded the death penalty for the rich man (II Samuel 12:5-6). Upon hearing this tale from Nathan, David was so angered that he demanded the death penalty for the rich man as well as a four-fold restoration of the poor man's losses. Here was a king who had stolen a wife and killed a man, and he was sitting in judgment of someone who only stole an animal. David's spirit had been drastically altered by the influence of unforsaken sin. David was confronted by Nathan about the sins of Bathsheba and Uriah in II Samuel 12:7-12. Nathan uttered the famous words: “Thou art the man.” On behalf of God, this prophet told David that God had made him king, delivered him from Saul, and given him houses and wives; and if that had been too little, God would have given David more. As Nathan spoke, David heard his most secret sins revealed.

David confessed his sin. In II Samuel 12:13, he said, “I have sinned against the Lord.” The healing began for David with his confession. He later penned Psalm 51.

Warnings for Believers

Sin soils the soul - Psalms 51:1-2 A Psalm of David, when Nathan the prophet came unto him, after he had gone in to Bathsheba. "Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions. Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin." David asked God to relieve him of the filthy feeling that permeated his soul. David, like every sexual sinner, realized that the chronic filthiness he felt was not of the body but of the spirit. No human effort or royal power can remove that chronic, nagging germ. But if left alone, it can wreak havoc in the spirit.

This story was shared with me by one of the greatest physiologist's and counselors, I have ever had the privilege of being under. "I was a corpsman in the Navy, I sutured serious wounds in the Emergency Ward. We were trained to create a sterile field around the wound before suturing. I would scrub around the wound with Phisohex, a strong anti-bacterial soap, flush the wound with copious amounts of sterile saline, lay a sterile sheet around the wound opening, and finally don surgical gloves before beginning. The most curious step to me was why we bothered the flushing with the saline. But when I saw a patient return with an infection, I knew why. He had been sutured by a doctor notorious for his infected patients. The corpsmen had dubbed the physician "Dr. Pus Fingers" and for good reason. I saw a red and swollen wound, oozing pus and straining at the sutures. We had to cut the sutures, reopen the wound, debride the dead flesh, flush it out again, and then re-suture. A few microscopic staphylococcus germs closed up in a wound did all that damage."

Before you waste your energy trying to obtain a disciplined mind, you must first access the secret sins in your soul, or you will fail. Trying to deal with your sin without first cleaning out the wound will have the same result. You have a germ in your soul, a cancer in your spirit. It is multiplying and spreading corruption. To congratulate yourself because the wound has been closed while nobody is the wiser is the height of foolishness. Like David, you need a thorough cleansing.

Sin saturates the mind - Psalms 51:3 "For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me. Day and night, night and day, David's sin thundered in his mind. When he awoke in the morning, he thought of his sin. When he laid down at night, he thought of his sin. The troubling thoughts lingered on the periphery of his thoughts, ready at the first sign of mental relaxation to reenter his mind and destroy his peace. His mind was constantly filled with the fear of his sin’s being revealed to others. When you indulged in your sexual sin, you had thoughts only for the pleasure at hand. All consciousness of future penalty was pushed from your awareness; and each time it began to surface in your conscience, you pushed it back with a new wave of pleasure. But now, the breaches of your conscience outnumber the pleasures with which to attack them. Wave after wave of guilt, fear of exposure, and the gnawing truth of your wretchedness mount an unyielding attack upon every flimsy fortress of peace you try to erect. As David said, your sin is ever before you.

Sin stings the conscience - Psalms 51:6 "Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom." "The inward parts" refer to that part of man that houses the memory, the imagination—and most notably—the conscience. David knew that God wanted him to be brutally honest and totally transparent about what he had done. There is no greater a servant nor crueler a master than the conscience. No longer a servant, the conscience becomes a heartless overlord, striking with the stinging whip of guilt at any time, seemingly for its own pleasure. It is a constant challenge to keep current accounts with God and keep the conscience clean. Paul makes this clear when he referred to this process as "exercise” in Acts 24:16, which says, “And herein do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience void of offence toward God, and toward men.”

There is a higher purpose behind the conscience. It is an automatic guidance system, installed in the cockpit of your heart to ensure your safety. To ignore its signal is to do so at your own peril. How many times do you think you can do that without a penalty? Done often enough, the conscience will become dulled, then defiled. (See 1 Corinthians 8:7.) It is possible to nullify the conscience through repetitions of such abuse. In time your conscience can become seared and ultimately silent, so much so that you can eventually get to the place where your glory is in your shame (Philippians 3:19), and you call evil good and good evil (Isaiah 5:20). David had the sensitivity to the voice of God to stop defiling his conscience. He wanted to be right with his Heavenly Father. He was tired of running.

Sin saddens the heart - David lost his joy and his gladness. He appealed to God to restore them, because God is the only One Who can. David’s wealth meant nothing at that moment. Why? Mark 8:36 "For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?" Without the fellowship of His God, the offerings of the world held no interest for him.

How to Experience Absolute Forgiveness - David knew that God was the only source of joy for him. It was David who had written in Psalm 16:11b, "In thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore." What joy can a sexual sin ever give you? What life would it breathe into your soul? Paul asked in Romans 6:21, "What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death."

Please note, that David asked that the "joy" be restored, not the salvation itself. He had a clear understanding of the difference between losing his fellowship with God and losing his relationship with God.

Sin sickens the body - It is estimated that 90 percent of all physical illnesses are psychosomatic in origin. In other words, they result, not from organic causes, but emotional ones.

King David agreed. When he wrote, "the bones which thou hast broken," he was using poetic
license to describe the literal physical misery he was enduring because of his sin. The modern day equivalent of David's language would be, "I felt absolutely crushed." Have you ever been so sad, so depressed, and so miserable of spirit that you could almost feel the sensation of a physical weight or pressure upon your chest? David did because of the results of his sin. But the sickened body might not only be figurative; it can be literal. In David’s day, as in ours, sexually transmitted diseases were prevalent. James 1:15 says that sin brings death. Sins such as drunkenness and drug use have consequences that bring obvious injury to the body.

Sin sours the spirit - Upon hearing the tale from Nathan, David was so angered that he demanded the death penalty for the rich man, as well as a four-fold restoration of the poor man's losses. Here was a king who had stolen a wife and killed a man, and he was sitting in judgment of someone who only stole an animal. How critical sin can make you! David's spirit had been drastically altered by the influence of unforsaken sin. Romans 2:1 teaches that harsh judgment of others reveals the presence of similar sin in the life.

A sinner wants to demonstrate an air of moral superiority and public condemnation, perhaps to put off the unsuspecting observers by his vehement piety. After all, how could such a strident enemy of immorality ever be guilty of it himself?

There is another reason for this sour spirit of condemnation. In every person there is a delicate scale of equilibrium that we need to balance to maintain normalcy. One side of the scale contains guilt, and the other side contains blame. When the finger of God pushes down on the guilt side, you feel out of kilter and off balance. At that point you have one of two options: You can take responsibility for your sin, confess it, and forsake it; and immediately the scale is back to level, because God removes His finger. On the other hand, you can choose to achieve parity by pushing down on the other side of the scale marked “blame.” By majoring on the blame game, the guilty party enjoys a perverted sense of balance and equilibrium. What is the solution? When David was confronted by Nathan, he humbly said the three words spoken by only ten men in the Scriptures: "I have sinned." He took full responsibility for his sins, blaming nobody but himself. This was the beginning place of his spiritual healing and restoration.

Sin silences the tongue - Psalm 51:14 "Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, thou God of my salvation: and my tongue shall sing aloud of thy righteousness." The greatest musician of Israel had hung his harp in the closet. The most talented of her songwriters had buried his pen in the sand. Why? He had nothing to sing about. All of his inspiration had dried up. Whereas before, the joy of the Lord was his strength, he now had no energy. His honesty dictated that he not defile the honor of God by hypocritically honoring Him in song when he dishonored Him in life.

What does a Christian man have to say when his heart is wrong? How can he bring any good message out of a corrupt heart?

For one full year all David’s talent was dissipated. Think of what David could have done for God had David not left His side. Think of the wasted years of your life, dear friend. How much money have you spent on your sexual habits? How much time and energy have you pilfered in the pursuit of fleshly gratification? How corrupted has your testimony become because of your sinful heart? How many people would have heard of Christ had you been faithful? Isn't it time
you sought forgiveness of your sin so you can once again "sing aloud of thy righteousness” (Psalm 51:14)?

David knew the meaning of "my sin is ever before me." Do you?
Are you tired of running from the admission of your sin? However long the journey and however fast you may run, you can never outrun your conscience. David realized that God "desireth truth in the inward parts," and he was willing to be honest. You must choose to either tell the truth or continue to lie to God and to yourself.
Is the depression you now experience a good trade for what God has for you? Do you want to "hear joy and gladness" once again?
Do you take full responsibility for your sins? Do you confess them to God? Do you confess them to the people you have injured?

I want that "joy and gladness" amidst my trials and triumphs. It is so easy to enjoy the highs and endure the lows. God desires for us to fulfill His purpose, and embrace every day, fully trusting in His promises and experiencing victory. How much time has been wasted in life, through allowing our mind to take us to places that serve no other purpose, than self-gratification and sin? God has so much more for us.

In our next lesson, we will continue learning to discipline our minds. The greatest struggle for most of us in life, is conquering our minds.

I believe in you,

Deborah

Disciplined Women - Overindulgence

noreply@blogger.com (Deborah Choma) — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 22:33:00 +0000

In today’s turbulent world, God needs disciplined men and women--soldiers tried, true, and battle-ready! In summary, the plight of modern man is a striving for the road of self-indulgence. The way of least resistance is the goal. Sacrifice, discipline, restraint--these words present “ideas” that are hard to come by in our generation.

Before commencing this series, allow this lesson figuratively, to shape an alliance with individuals who aspire to growing and overcoming those areas in their own lives that they long to have victory in.

Our emphasis is on overindulgence. There is a need for us all to be self-controlled in our eating habits and temperate with our food choices. This article is not a campaign designed to pick on chubby women. The purpose is for us all to link together and learn what being disciplined means and how we can apply it in a practical sense, to a variety of ways in our own lives.

There is character shallowness in our culture and a dire need for disciplined living. The truth is, we are living in an age wired for sound, but the sounds are ominous.

Having decided to run a series on the specific disciplines required to soar in the Christian life and have a profound influence on others, whilst developing personal character; this week, we will focus on weight. Following on from this discipline, we will highlight and expound on a different subject. We will have plenty to chew on (pardon the pun).

“Discipline is what moderns need the most and want the least. Much of our restlessness and instability can be traced to a lack of discipline. Our overflowing asylums, our jails, and hospitals, are but symptoms of an undisciplined age. There may be many secondary causes and there may be many secondary cures, but somewhere behind these is the need for discipline. The kind of discipline needed is far deeper than the rule of alarm clocks and time cards; it embraces self-restraint, courage, perseverance, and resiliency as the inner panoply of the soul” – The Disciplined Life by Richard S. Taylor

Many nervous and emotional disorders are the accumulated result of years of self-indulgent living. A lifelong pattern of running away from difficulties, of avoiding incompatible people, of seeking the easy way, of quitting when the going gets rough, finally shows up in neurotic semi-invalidism and incapacity. Numerous books read, many doctors and preachers consulted, innumerable prayers offered, and religious commitments made; the patient (sufferer) inundated with drugs, advice, costly treatment, and spiritual scourging; yet none lay bare the real cause - a lack of discipline. Moreover, the only real cure is to become a disciplined person.

Notwithstanding, there are those afflicted with nervous and emotional disorders, none of which they hold the very least responsibility. Fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) is a pattern of mental and physical defects that can develop in a fetus in association with high levels of alcohol consumption during pregnancy. We have primary disabilities and we have secondary disabilities.

What was conclusive and what stood out in these extensive tests, were as in any gift and talent, these children and adults improved, and went onto living successful lives, whilst a treatment plan involving a disciplined structure was introduced and applied each day – “Trying different rather than harder,” Dr. D. Malbin

The root cause filtered down through generations of countless cases of ADHD, FAS, and numerous medical research and data on so many hidden disabilities; trace down to a lack of discipline. Inadvertently or not, discipline presents itself as a cause with an effect.

We all struggle with discipline in one or more areas of our lives.

The Bible says, “If thou faint in the day of adversity, thy strength is small.” Weakness is demonstrated when we weaken through self-induced illness, by blaming others, by resigning, by displays of “nerves” – almost any method which presents the possibility of escape. Strength of character developed through consistent disciplined living, can face adversities without fainting.

One of the greatest disciplines is the ability to say “no” in what we eat and how often we eat. So many excuses made for us and they provide nothing more than an escape from what we fear or dread, rather than a means of strengthening our character. So many times, pushing the goal aside of being in control of personal weight has left nothing more than feelings of failure and a lack of focus.

The first step toward change is through acknowledging the weakness. Once we claim this before God, He is more than able and willing to give us the necessary strength and wisdom to mastermind an eating plan. The Bible says, “What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?” 1 Corinthians 6:19

Where there is a sincere desire to do the will of God, no Christian should live to gratify his own inclinations or appetite. How we need to remind ourselves of this daily. Paul said, “But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection:” 1 Corinthians 9:27

The source of our joy, whether we have acknowledged or have an awareness of, is our Heavenly Father. Overeating may satisfy the flesh for a moment, but the effect over time is nothing but disappointment and disempowerment. Food does not control us! We control food, and losing weight begins in a decision. A decision to discipline your mind and your appetite every day is more common than you think.

Most recently, this article written by the Diabetes Association in Australia has been very enlightening, and to share the information with you seemed a good step. Do you realize how food portions have changed in twenty-years? http://hp2010.nhlbihin.net/portion/

To the right of the page, it reads ‘Portion Distortion I.’ If you click on this line, you will then go to a series of questions. As my family and I went through the test, we had a good laugh. When it was over, we realized that we ate too much. We too are victims of portion distortion.

As Disciples of Christ, we ought to be disciplined ones, partially or effectively. Discipline in the Greek language is a learner. Whether you desire discipline for your life, you are on the road to more discipline, or you are highly disciplined; we will never stop learning. The case for applying this knowledge stands strong. Do not use it experimentally. Use it wisely and ask God to give you the strength to bring it into effect.

I love you and I believe in you,

Deborah

A New Beginning - With or Without Distractions

noreply@blogger.com (Deborah Choma) — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 19:05:00 +0000

Having recorded new beginnings from the time this girl could write, there is quite the repertoire of stories to share about life. In fact, subsequent years have presented an array of additional new beginnings.

Most label these as a New Year's Resolution. Experience has taught that a resolve to do something has an element of procrastination attached. A new beginning is a statement of fact. It is the start of something already in existence. In thought or deed, something has started to move toward the mark of achievement. "For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he.” Proverbs 23:7

This verse is the sum total of why we dream and then why we despair; why we get excited about ideas we would love to see synthesize, yet a year later, or two, or five, or a decade, and our position has not changed. Figuratively, we stare down the dream tunnel, defeated, disarmed, and unproductive.

Have you ever considered that your dreams may be a camouflage for what really is self-gratification? It has its place. After being awake for eighteen hours, self-gratification with sleep is a good thing.

At which point have you or would you invite God, the Author, and Finisher of the Believer’s faith, to mastermind, and in fact, give you the ‘how to’ on living out your dreams? Formed, as we most definitely are, in the image of God, as a visionary, He has imparted dreams and He has the tools that will equip us for success.

In fact, the heart of the problem is more often a problem with the heart.

In the Bible, Genesis is the book of new beginnings. It records the beginning of the heavens, earth, plants, animals, and human life. In addition, it records new beginnings in all human institutions and relationships. Typically, it speaks of the new birth, the new creation, where all was chaos and ruin.

The problem with new beginnings is the problem of man’s sin, as affecting man’s condition on this earth, and his relationship to God. The Divine solutions of that problem, are here in essence. Our behavior is not new. Reflected in the garden long ago, we must acknowledge a propensity to follow our own desires and lusts.

In discipling other women; under the canopy of their strongholds and patterns of thinking, rather than a focus on past failures, with proven principles, they are shown how to shift their thinking onto new beginnings. Do not spin on your tail of regrets. There comes a point at which you must cut the tail off and move on.

A new beginning for 2012 is to read the Bible in three months. A plan devised to reach this goal by achievable increments along the way, will ensure productivity and arrival at the finish line. In order to read your Bible in three months, one must embrace it by reading twelve chapters a day. Having read the Bible many times over, it has always taken a year to do so. This new beginning is exciting! Being fed chunks of Scripture is very nourishing to the soul.

The motive behind this new beginning is a desire for the blessings of God on my life. “Blessed is he that readeth,” Revelation 1:3 this verse is not restricted to Bible prophesies on Christ’s return. It is applicable to our whole lives, that is, in our mind and memory, in our affection and practice, we must adhere to the truth, whatever trials, and temptations it may expose.

In light of what is taught to those under my personal influence, withstanding as I practice and apply these principles to my own life; a move toward righteousness will procure growth in many areas. In addition, when we open the living, breathing Word of God with the purpose of seeking Him and a motive to live a righteous life; we are empowered with the tools of wisdom and understanding; for our marriage, family, business, finances, relationships, and future decisions.

You cannot lose when you live on the winning side.

Upon hearing women say, “I was going so well and now this happened.” Stuff happens. Remain flexible in your attitude to allow diversion however, not to allow distractions to take root and sabotage your goal. Have a motto – “No Excuses!” Then there is this statement, “What’s the use? This will never change!” With that attitude, no it will not.

Change has begun the moment you decide.

If you would allow the use of a metaphor, if you get off track, do not park your truck, and walk away. Flat tires in the form of negative thinking must find a source of fresh air. Pump the Word of God into your thinking and start your engine up. Then get back on the road. If you lose focus for a day, do not revisit it tomorrow. In fear and regret, get with it! This is a new beginning. Do not wait for the motivation to do right. Do right and the motivation will follow.

Remind yourself, you are driving away from old ways in the form of old patterns of thinking and old patterns of negative talk and thoughts. The car is under your control. Keep reading the roadmap, which in case you do not have it yet, is the roadmap for life – God’s Word. It is life changing. Our testimony validates our statements, not the least, what is demonstrated in my own life. There were areas that needed to be changed and that I was very well aware of. There were areas that I was totally unaware of, until God shone the light of truth onto the condition of my heart. The need to align ourselves with God’s ways and thinking is a motion in progress. It never ends!

We are as busy as the next person is and there is no excuse for not making time to read the Bible. Excuses come in many forms. If you always do what you have always done, you will always get what you have always had.

As Christian women, we are to embrace truth and apply it to every area of our lives. Not forgetting, when we have dreams, Satan uses the same strategy to steal the ideal, as he used in the garden with Eve. He does not want what is best for us. In fact, he wants to procure defeat and disgust.

Ideally, when the serpent approached Eve, it would have been in her best interest (and ours), if she were to have turned to her authority and said, “Adam Darling. Did you hear what that jerk said?”

The reality is, that we all have the propensity to get off track and run things in our own steam. Steam has its purpose but it usually runs out. The wrong turns in our life are in the form of these five signposts; distractions, disappointments, despair, dishonesty, and disobedience. Signposts come in many forms but nonetheless, they are diversions.

No one beguiles thoughts, but I. Stop allowing your stinking thinking to cheat you out of achieving your goals. The moment we stop shifting blame and take the steering wheel of our decisions, God will compliment, and in fact, complete what He has begun.

We are all a work in progress. Learn yourself!

"Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:" Philippians 1:6

He loves you and believes in you. Moreover, I do!

Deborah

Embrace Your Position

noreply@blogger.com (Deborah Choma) — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 19:48:00 +0000

It’s fascinating to establish your lineage. My heritage stems back to an ancestry entrenched from the same seed as King David.

In every respect, I’m royalty. My life reflects my Father; speeches and how I walk, dress, attention to detail, extend to others, and help in the community; replicate what I’ve learned and in fact, enjoy. I’m passionate about where I came from and who I am.

I’m the daughter of a King and I am privileged to hold this title. I love what I do and what I have. There is no one else’s life I would want to exchange places with and there is no position I dream of more than my own.

One would assume that my poise in life would require little effort. In fact, it requires more effort than any other vocation I’m aware of.

If you have asked Christ into your life, and you declare Him as your Heavenly Father, then you too are royalty.

For most, discovering their position as a son or daughter of a King has never materialized in their life; their speech, walk, dress sense, attention to detail, and everything that reflects excellence, lies dormant at their feet. Metaphorically speaking, as a royal cloak never picked up and placed upon their shoulders, most Christians neglect their royal garments and honorable position.

We are heirs to the King!

“Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.” 2 Corinthians 6:17, 18

As a Believer, we hold the right to receive our high calling and all the benefits that go with that title. We are inheritors of His characteristics. Doesn’t that make you feel honored and privileged?

We must separate ourselves from all corrupting influences. We are to be distinguished in moral purity from all the rest of the world. The gospel calls for unity as well as purity.

In summary, I share with you an exert from one of Charles Spurgeon’s fabulous sermons in 1881 –

The Christian, while in the world, is not to be of the world. He should be distinguished from it in the great object of his life. To him, "to live," should be "Christ." Whether he eats, or drinks, or whatever he does, he should do all to God's glory. You may lay up treasure; but lay it up in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, where thieves break not through nor steal. You may strive to be rich; but be it your ambition to be "rich in faith," and good works. You may have pleasure; but when you are merry, sing psalms and make melody in your hearts to the Lord. In your spirit, as well as in your aim, you should differ from the world. Waiting humbly before God, always conscious of His presence, delighting in communion with Him, and seeking to know His will, you will prove that you are of heavenly race.

And you should be separate from the world in your actions. If a thing be right, though you lose by it, it must be done; if it be wrong, though you would gain by it, you must scorn the sin for your Master's sake. You must have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them. Walk worthy of your high calling and dignity. Remember, O Christian, that thou art a son of the King of kings. Therefore, keep thyself unspotted from the world. Soil not the fingers which are soon to sweep celestial strings; let not these eyes become the windows of lust which are soon to see the King in His beauty--let not those feet be defiled in miry places, which are soon to walk the golden streets--let not those hearts be filled with pride and bitterness which are ere long to be filled with heaven, and to overflow with ecstatic joy.

How do we embrace our royal position? We must first learn and then we are to apply this knowledge in a practical and obvious sense.

PRACTICAL WAYS TO WALK WITH GOD

1. Read your Bible and pray every day. Have a set time and place. Give God the best of your day.

2. Change the time and place if things become stale and unsteady.

3. Have a devotional portfolio, basket, or drawer, near your devotional place. Contents will include; Bible, journal, prayer list, pen, Kleenex, reading glasses.

4. Do practical things to make it enjoyable.

5. Have a Bible reading plan.

6. Memorize the Bible.

7. Study the Bible.

8. Keep a journal. Ask God to show Himself to you each day. Write down one thing he did each day.

9. Pray.

Have a written prayer list. Get on your knees before God for some time each morning. Pray as you get ready in the morning. Pray as you drive. I love to drive through the back roads and pray. Pray when you are alone.

10. Meditate on the Bible. Underline special verses and read them throughout the day.

Always be growing in your relationship with the Bible. God magnifies His Word above His name. Psalm 138:2

What we do with the Bible determines what God will do with us!

I love you and I believe in you,

Deborah

I Have a Dream

noreply@blogger.com (Deborah Choma) — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 03:04:00 +0000

For some reason, I like to test the ability of my car to drive in a straight line. There is no rhyme or rationale however, from time to time I remove my hands to test the wheel balance. The car always veers to the left of the road when I do this. Quickly, I place my hands back onto the steering wheel and align the car once again.

This pattern of behavior is acutely in sync with how we drive ourselves through life. For some of us, our day is predictable, organized, and under the harness of routine. For others, routine is the goal however; the association of an ideal and the reality of life - are chasms apart. Disability, either physical or invisible, can shift our goals temporarily. Furthermore, disappointment can get us off track, not to mention, a lack of focus. Figuratively, taking our hands off the steering wheel of our goals is such a small move yet the effect can be catastrophic.

We are not merely on this earth to be fashioned into self-gratifying individuals. We were created for God’s pleasure and glory. All of us have a unique fingerprint and whoever we are, from the least to the greatest; we have in possession the ability to excel above and beyond all that our self-limitations can imagine. God made us in His image and has a unique purpose for us. Individually, we were designed and equipped to fulfill what God has intended for our life.

Having lived in America for seven years, there has never been a time that I have entered into a store, library, business, church, or any other social circle, where heads did not turn 180-degrees because of my distinctive accent. It’s fascinating to me. My own perspective is much broader. I hear different accents from every person I come into contact with each day.

With laser precision, God knows our voice and each one of us is distinctive to Him. He knows how we think and what we dream about. We are made in His image and He adores us.

So what does driving and dreaming have in common? A whole lot! If I can use a metaphor, without control of the vehicle (which represents our character and goals), for the duration of the journey (which represents our choices, focus, and realistic goals), then we most likely will never reach our destination – our dream.

Has it ever occurred to you that God is the mastermind behind your dream? What stops you from achieving? Are you figuratively up against a wall, unable to conquer the climb? The victory is already at hand. If God created us in His image; gave us a body, receptors, a brain, and a soul, do you think He would withhold the means for us to reach our destiny?

Destiny comes from the word destination. There is a place where we are headed in life, and the obscurity is to figure out our purpose. The Bible uses the phrase “the will of God,” and this phrase is similar to a person’s destiny. The will of God is His plan for your life. The will of God is not mysterious; it is practical and down to earth. The will of God is not a set of marching orders; His will is predominantly expansive and slightly restrictive.

So, how do we remove some of the anxiety of the future, stay in the will of God, and live the dream?

STAY ON THE RIGHT ROAD

1. God’s expansive will allows us to choose within the set of options He avails to us. His options are based upon righteousness, holiness, and justice. People who have a problem with God will probably have a problem with righteousness, holiness, and justice. God’s will is expansive not restrictive. God allows us to choose within this realm and there are a lot of choices. We will reach our potential and meet our dreams when we make choices within the expansive, or widely extended, will of God.

KEEP YOUR TANK FILLED

2. Borders, boundaries, and edges surround the will of God. Adam and Eve were never allowed back into the garden. Eden was God’s will for them, but they stepped outside of Eden’s boundaries and lost their opportunities in that haven. God laws and rules are not a guilt trip to weigh down our lives. The restrictions within God’s will are designed to keep us in the fence of His will and to keep our power of choice rich. How do we understand the road map of rules if we don’t read and embrace them? Going through life without the best advice is like jumping out of a plane without a parachute. His Word is our road map.

FOCUS AND FOLLOW THE DIRECTIONS

3. The will of God is not a certain path and only path that must be followed or else. It is narrow but never a tightrope. God is interested in the way we walk the path of our life, not on which cobblestones or bricks we step as we navigate the path.

God’s will is to be discovered. It’s an adventure!

So much of our time can be pulled in directions that bare little relevance to what’s important to us. Daily we make choices that will bring us closer to our goals and dreams, delay them, or divert our attention long enough to dismay.

In finishing, a week ago, my husband leaned over in church and made this statement, “You’d better prepare to go.” My heart leapt. I have a dream. In October, I plan to go to School in Atlanta, Georgia. It’s quite an investment of money. Understanding that God gave root to my dream before I thought it possible, and knowing that He’s crazy about me, is enough horse power to drive me toward touch down in October. I’ve crafted goals to get there, aligned people in strategic places to fuel me along the way, and I have the best coach of all – my Lord and Shepherd, who will lead me every step of the way.

Do you have a dream?

Do you believe in the Lord Jesus, who, if you were the only one on earth at the time, would have died on the cross for your sins, and gifted you with eternal life? If you were to die tonight, are you 100% sure you would go to Heaven? The Bible tells us that we can know.

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” John 3:16

The Bible also says, “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.” Romans 10:9

That’s our roadmap for Eternal security – Confess and Believe.

I pray that you secure your dreams, but more importantly, I pray that you secure your Eternal destination before it’s too late.

I love you and I believe in you.

Deborah

Let Go!

noreply@blogger.com (Deborah Choma) — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 19:45:00 +0000

It's great to be a 'giver' of ideas especially when it is validated with experience. As part of your journey, why don't you align yourself with a group of Believers' who love to let go of the bondage from past strongholds in their lives. This statement from a friend summarizes Bible Buddies so well - "A place to encourage, uplift, honor, and hold one another to the highest standards." I like this and if you're part of this group of thinkers, to be sure, I like you. Metaphors connect the dots that we often don't as we verbalize ideas and beliefs to others. If I can use a gardening metaphor, sowing seeds into the lives of others will always give you fruit. It's a Biblical principle set in stone. As we learn, we must sow learning into the life of another. It matters that we enrich our lives through learning. But what use is our life if we can't transfer what we have learned into the life of another person? You might as well be a cistern.

When I speak at a conference, I always use a metaphor. In addition, I introduce my session with a personal story that has directly affected me or someone else in my life. When we personalize what we are teaching it suddenly becomes very real to the listener. Quite often I'll make it fun.

During those indelible moments when I have captivated the audience, won their hearts, and gone onto a dynamic teaching session, I have used an unexpected introduction - an unusual or 'out of the box' intro.

For instance, I was presenting to a group of 500 college girls. My speaking time was 20-minutes. The conference had been running for almost 5-hours (long, long, long), and the girls were hungry, tired, bored, and very restless. I ditched my presentation and came up with something totally spontaneous - same content but changed my props. This all occurred within moments of me being introduced as the second last speaker.

I came on stage and walked the runway acting out a model who was showing off her outfit. Because I'm in my 50's, and because I played the part completely; fully absorbed in making it work...going 'all out' as the audience squealed with excitement at this unusual lady pretending that she had never experienced stardom before and couldn't wait to have the spotlight on her...THE ROOM WENT "OFF" - so to speak.

It was so much fun! The girls were reignited and ready to learn.

Before I put my pen down and now that I have your attention, this verse has become very real to me - "Ye that love the LORD, hate evil: he preserveth the souls of his saints; he delivereth them out of the hand of the wicked. Light is sown for the righteous, and gladness for the upright in heart. Rejoice in the LORD, ye righteous; and give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness." Psalm 97:10-12

God's always giving isn't He? As if giving isn't enough, He continually advantages us. His light (truth) most certainly sets us free and what follows is unspeakable gladness.

As I reflect back on 2011, I'm incredibly grateful that God has brought me to America. Prior to this time, I have had no desire to stay.

The greatest lessons I have learned to date are:

1. Being content under any canopy of circumstances.

2. Gratitude for my very rich life.

In the context of these verses, being delivered for me represents being delivered from my discontentment. As I have clung to God and very much kept my home an oasis, I have spent huge chunks of time alone over these almost seven years. His Word has truly sown light and defined my self-pitying soul for what it was. With laser accuracy, He has shone clarity into the heart of the issue with Deborah.

The fruit is most definitely unspeakable gladness. In fact, until six months ago, and through my endeavors to be a godly woman, my lust for past wealth continued to haunt me. But alas, the shift has been in my focus and in what I now consider to be true riches.

Our success does not move of its own accord. I use to think it did. Our confidence and balance is validated when we give praise to whom it belongs. Praise very much belongs at the Throne. Seeds were sown by others along my foggy path, for which I also give praise and my heart in a deep appreciation.

Reader, if you knew what I came from then you would comprehend more fully the miracle for Deborah; unspeakable joy, unquenchable love, and continuing gratitude.

The miracle for Deborah is not in the circumstances changing, the miracle is in a heart change.

As the tears roll down my cheeks, it could only be HIM! Not even a jack hammer could of torn the layers that kept me from what God was trying to teach me. My lust for past wealth kept me in bondage and unknowingly put down my husband - my provider and protector. How deceptive our sin is.

Thank you for an ear to listen and perhaps a heart to understand just a little of the miracles carved within the walls of the Choma's Castle. My husband is truly my King and my hero. Very patiently, he is most definitely the beneficiary of God's handiwork.

We pivot our daily living on our walk with God, on the preaching, on wisdom transferred from the pulpit, and on a greater vision than what we could ever dream of.

Ladies, we don't need a makeover in 2012. Plug into God and leave the rest up to Him. He refines our total overall appearance from head to toe - and it shows! The more we grow in grace and in love, the more HE illuminates within us. I find this to be the most captivating aspect of a godly women.

Why don't you read more in 2012. The heart of my life is books. The heartbeat of my life is the Bible.

My favorite saying is this: “You are the same today you’ll be in five years except for two things: the people you meet and the books you read." In every turning point and crisis of my life, there’s always been a book that helped me think and see more clearly, a book that has kept me laughing, looking up, and a book that has kept my mouth shut.

What we learn ought to change the way we think enough to change the way we live - for Eternity's sake! - Quote by Deborah Choma Jan 2012

I love you.

In Him,
Deborah

I Understand But I Just Don't Get It!

noreply@blogger.com (Deborah Choma) — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 00:00:00 +0000

“And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the son of God hath not life.” 1 John 5:11 & 12

Have you ever wondered what your purpose in life is? Perhaps you have climbed the corporate ladder and find incredible self-worth and fulfillment in your career. You’re a mother, and you spend your days absorbed in providing a haven for your family. You love what you do regardless of the yardstick by which your accomplishment is measured. And what if you are single? You have freedom to choose who you spend time with and where you find your fun and satisfaction.

My life is a repertoire of all of the above, and some. As I peel back a portion of what I have learned, I want you to think on these statements;

What is my purpose?
If my purpose; career, child, or freedom, were to change, who am I left with?

Whilst we have the choice to continue in what it is that imparts a sense of self-worth and belonging, as a Believer, we must all reach a platform of obedience. If we are ever going to experience a deep, abiding, and fulfilling life, then we must embrace this truth.

Most recently and during one of the most difficult times in my own life, I made a decision to step up to a level of obedience, and onto ground I had never experienced prior to my decision. I have made a conscious choice that my focus must be on the great for God, not, how will I survive the Christian life?

Is that you? Are you barely surviving the Christian life? Has a hand been dealt that you are unable to come to terms with? For the most part, do you consider yourself a victim? “Life isn’t easy, but bless my socks, I’ll drag my sorry toes through this somehow!”

I want to encourage your disillusioned heart. If you can relate to this so far, your focus is funky.

You can have victory and joy regardless of the hurt! I don’t just merely talk the talk. I have a very real and present account as I walk the talk.

My husband was teaching our adult Sunday school class last week, and his lesson was entitled, “I understand, but I just don’t get it.” For the most part, Christian women spend their entire saved lives void of victory, and strumming the same sad songs. I would like to encourage you. There is hope and the key is in your willingness to get it!

What is the purpose of life?

“And now, Israel, what doth the Lord thy God require of thee, but to fear the Lord thy God, to walk in all His ways, and to love Him, and to serve the Lord thy God with all they heart and with all thy soul.” Deuteronomy 10:12

God wants us to turn to Him and obey Him. Every thought within us must be brought down. Our thinking is stinking girls! It must be brought into obedience to God if we would walk comfortably with him. “He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God.” Micah 6:8

“And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.” Mark 12:30 This verse magnifies God as the self-existent One. The “I AM.” It is better to have one fountain than a thousand cisterns; one all-sufficient God than a thousand insufficient friends.

We all start life as “I” specialists. Our actions are governed by self-interest. But ladies, the purpose of life is to see God in everything and reflect Him in every way.

What does God require of Believers? As I have studied the verses outlined in this devotion, I have found them to be helpful in my own life. I have added a word study to each instruction:

To fear the Lord thy God - [Hebrew; to revere Him & hate sin]
To walk in all His ways – [Hebrew; to grow, lead, march, prosper] through constant prayer and watchfulness.
To love Him with all thy heart, soul, mind, and strength – [Hebrew; affection for Him]
To serve with all thy heart and soul – [Hebrew; to work and labor, compel, do, execute] these all have a common thread of doing.
To do justly – [Hebrew; determination, discretion]
To love mercy – [Hebrew; reproof, kindness, favor] a hearty desire to do good for others.
To walk humbly with thy God – [Hebrew; lowly] active obedience toward God.

What is our emphasis as a Believer? Is it Holiness, or our service for God? Is it the seeking of inner spiritual experiences?

Man was created to delight God and respond to His Divine affection. God spoke everything into existence. To live for Him and to do His will. Broken fellowship with God came through Adam and Eve. The love of God purposed man’s recovery through the Cross. Submissiveness and God-centeredness were lost in the fall. To bring us back is the one great object of all His dealings with us. “There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.” Romans 3:11

God, the searcher of hearts and none can escape the notice of His eye. The Hebrew explains this further; there were none that comprehended, that sought wisdom, which considered His ways and put them together for themselves. No one craved Him.

In our need we find our need for Him. It’s because I have desperate needs that I need Him desperately.

God is mainly concerned about our coldness of heart toward Him and our proud unbroken nature.

Because of a God-given influence over other women, I ought to consider the following:

Do I give to others an answer which I have not truly and deeply found for myself?
Am I concentrating on seeing God for myself and finding the deep answer for life in Him?

If so, even if I were located in the most obscure corner of the globe, the world will make a road to my door to get that answer.

Our service of help is the direct consequence to our vision of God, and becomes incidental to this. His purpose is often far greater and different than what we think. Our service, in His mind, is to be far more the potter’s wheel on which He can mold us than the achieving of those spectacular objectives on which we set our hearts.

He sees the sharp point in our makeup that is continually wounding others. He sees within our hearts the motives of self-seeking and pride. He therefore, allows someone to come and work alongside us who will rub against that sharp point and round it off. Or, He allows someone to thwart our plans and perhaps even step into our shoes.

As a Believer, through all our endeavors, there will come a point when the spotlight will illuminate truth.

Sunday school teacher, Christian education teacher, church staff; have you entered into a deeper experience of His grace and of His power? Does He satisfy your heart with Himself alone?

The seeking for inner spiritually experiences leaves the Believer still self-centered and occupied with himself and his experiences. It can lead to much mental anguish through the confusion of our many teachings and false doctrines.

I personally have stood by a woman for well over twenty years, whose life mirrors the consequences of this particular scenario. She has never moved on in the Christian life, but rather, she is constantly seeking inner spiritual experiences. Her mental anguish grips her, sabotaging her ability to see truth.

Throughout my entire fifty-two years of living, I have never come across a woman more entangled by false-teaching and doctrines of the devil.

There is One alone who can satisfy the heart. He is by our side, longing to be known, and loved, and proved.

This, then, is the purpose of life: to see God, and to allow Him to bring us back to the old relationship of submission to Him. Clay does not argue with the potter. It knows that the potter has every right to make it into whatever shape He chooses.

Our higher good is achieved only in submitting.

It has been said that there is a God-shaped blank in every man’s heart. If we yield to this fact, some of us will have a new outlook on life. The situation may not change, but we will change. If fellowship with God is our first concern, then we can have fellowship with Him in the kitchen, in sickness, in any kind of trying and difficult situation. Whatever lies across our “to-be-done” path, even the most irksome chore, it is there to be done for God and for His glory. Gone will be the former striving, bondage, and frustration. We shall be at peace with God and with ourselves.

Even in our hardship, as a Believer, we must reach a spiritual plain of asking God daily, “What must I do Lord?” We gain confidence by following the Holy Ghost. The temptation is to argue and resist Him.

The tool that will change our life is obedience. Obedience imparts God’s power and brings understanding. Understanding never brings obedience.

Stop pushing your own agenda on others. Pray to be filled with the Holy Ghost and ask God to point out where you need to align yourself with Him. You don’t have to understand the problem to fix the problem. Time spent waiting to understand is time wasted in disobedience. By the doing of it, the understanding follows.

If God has pierced your heart during this devotion, why don't you pray with me;

O God, with every step I take today, may wisdom rise to the surface and bring glory to your name. My thoughts and the words that I use, I pray that they reflect a spirit of oneness with you. As a willing vessel, allow your love to shine through me. Let truth be my only guide, having your perfect plan fulfilled through me Lord.

Forgive me for my disobedience and for the pride that has stopped a change in my attitude, my thoughts, and my conversation.

God, I hurt deeply as only you know. I love deeper as only you know. Thank you for the pain of it all. “O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him.”

Thank you for enlightening my eyes. I could never of understood without this very present experience? Thank you that my life of faith finds food in everything. Thank you for the gift of grace and strength because of my suffering.

Your Word is sweet to me. My mouth shall praise you with joyful lips. I desire to see you today and to grow. ”I have tasted that the Lord is gracious.”

I Love You – In Christ,

Deborah

Who Flung Tongue?

noreply@blogger.com (Deborah Choma) — Tue, 06 Sep 2011 00:15:00 +0000

“Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth! And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell.” James 3:5-6

Words have become the current focus of my attention. Apart from being in the middle of some much needed dental work, I am learning about the impact my words have on others and what God's Word has to say.

My walk with God is important to me – important enough to align myself with His standards. It’s not easy, and embracing a word awareness has been a humbling exercise. I acknowledge how unrestrained I have been in the past.

Our tongue, for the most part, is unbridled. The words we use have an influence and nothing falls on deaf ears. It matters what we say!

The Word of God instructs us on how we ought to have balance in every area of life. Within God’s principles for balance, He warns of whole body defilement because of our tongue. “The tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity:”

This verse teaches us that the tongue produces a disturbance and an agitation that can be compared with the inferno often produced by a spark. With all the good which it does, who can estimate the amount of evil the tongue can cause. If we spoke what we should speak, what a change would come over the face of all our relationships and human affairs!

To live in the spirit and operate in the flesh simultaneously - is impossible! Simply put, if I blurt words out, “Because I have a point to make,” I am controlled by my flesh. Before it comes out of our mouths, it is filtered through our brain. Don’t you think it’s a good idea to get our brains in gear before we run off with our mouths?

Independent studies have stated that the average woman speaks 20,000 words in a day. My own independent study has revealed that most of what we hear and repeat is idle gossip and the slandering of others. In this respect, I’m ashamed of our self-fulfilling reputation. God already knew. Why else did He give us a manual for our mouths?

There is so much Scripture that can teach us the right way to treat others; our conversation, control of our temper, and restraint of our tongue.

“He that goeth about as a talebearer revealeth secrets: therefore meddle not with him that flattereth with his lips.” Proverbs 20:19

Two sorts of women are dangerous to converse with - talebearers and flatterers. Flatterers are often talebearers.

Talebearers, as the Bible teaches, are unprincipled people, that go about sharing stories. They sow jealousy in the minds of others and reveal secrets they have been entrusted with. Don’t give these ladies a hearing! When they go to tell you their tales and secrets, cut the conversation short or change the topic. To be sure, if they are full of words about others, then you too will be the center piece of their conversation - behind your back.

On August 24, 2000, a 46-year-old woman tossed a burning match onto the ground when she stopped by the road to light a cigarette. Rather than putting out the burning match, she just glanced at it and left the area. Many days later, the fire she had recklessly begun was finally contained. Timber worth more than 40 million dollars was destroyed, and over 80,000 acres were burned.

It’s easy to hear this story and think, “What an uncaring woman to leave a burning match in a dry forest!” Yet how often do we fling our lingo without thinking about the consequences? How many times have you walked away after saying something that deeply wounded someone – ignorant or deliberately impolite, not wanting to look at the enormous damage that you have caused?

Too often I talk without thinking, never considering the one receiving my words. It’s easy to blurt out words when we’re ruffled or the pressure is on. Although our focus is on getting the point across, or justifying our actions, or whatever excuse we use for having to state anything for that matter – our words can inflict great damage. Much like a burned forest, the damage can take years to restore.

“A wholesome tongue is a tree of life: but perverseness therein is a breach in the spirit.” Proverbs 15:4

Does your language grieve or appease others? A good tongue is healing. A bad tongue is wounding.

When I was a little girl and other girls would make fun of me, I would say, “Sticks and stones will break my bones, but names can never hurt me.” This poem is profoundly inaccurate. Hard words indeed break no bones, but many a heart has been broken by them. It’s because my heart has been pierced many times by the words of another, that I’m very careful about my verbatim.

Do I ever hurt with my words? Unfortunately, yes! But I’m in God’s classroom for word wisdom, seeking Him with my heart and specifically when it comes to my mouth. He has the tools that we need to sharpen our tongues for good, and to bring Him glory and not shame with our untamed tongue.

Can you remember a time when someone said particularly encouraging words to you and how God used those words to bless you? “Pleasant words are as an honeycomb, sweet to the soul, and health to the bones.” Proverbs 16:24

How can you encourage someone with your words today? If you are feeling discouraged, then build someone’s life today with words of encouragement. Write them a card, or leave a message. We reap what we sow!

I love you and I believe in you!

Deborah

Words Have A Destiny

noreply@blogger.com (Deborah Choma) — Sat, 27 Aug 2011 12:14:00 +0000

“Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruits.” Proverbs 18:21

Words are wonderful! In the beginning God spoke our world into existence.

“And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.” Genesis 1:3

God created everything with His words. He keeps His word - He gave us His only Son who died on a cross, that we may obtain forgiveness and Eternal life. God continues to keep His Word; powerfully, positively, precisely, perfectly.

A man may do a great deal of good or a great deal of hurt, both to others and to himself, according to the use he makes of his tongue.

Most recently, I was hurt deeply by words directed at me through an email. It came unexpected and figuratively speaking, I was hit across the head with a baseball bat – “Whack!” It hurt.

She had reached a verdict with her words. Her opening sentence was, “What’s the deal with not contacting me?” Strong accusation isn’t it? In her next statement, she accused my husband with the following words, “I know he doesn't like me!”

My initial response was, “Wow! If only she knew how busy my days were.” Not emailing was an oversight on my part, and not a deliberate act of neglecting a friendship.

Too often, we tend to have the wrong perspective. We draw conclusions from what we think is fact. The devil works on our mind. He loves to raise doubt, add confusion, and then stand on the sideline and watch our self-destructive ways.

Our flesh response is to defend our position. The next step comes as we retaliate with words. In the past, I would have had a word or two to say to my friend. But her behavior was a smoke screen. There was so much more behind her words and I knew she was hurting.

Because we walk in the flesh daily, we must press pause on what our flesh wants to do, and respond in the Spirit. When we trust Christ as our Saviour, the Holy Spirit dwells within us as our reflector or defector.

Staying yielded to the Spirit produces fruit. Our flesh cultivates nothing but strife and enmity.

There is a destiny attached to our words. The fate of what I say is under my control. Ladies – to your husband; do you speak words of encouragement each day? Are you building him with your words? What has your speech reflected in your conversation over the last week, or month; respect, admiration, love, acceptance?

It’s easy to think before we speak, when the bills are paid, the house is in perfect order, and the pressure is off. After all, don’t we put our best foot forward when we are trying to impress someone? Ouch! But when pressure is placed on us, “… for out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaketh.” Matthew 12:34b

The Bible tells us that, “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?” Jeremiah 17:9

Our words can do enormous good or catastrophic damage; to our husbands, our children, our parents, our family members, friends, and strangers. They can be life-giving or life-destroying. All too often we throw out words without thinking of their consequences.

God’s Word is filled with the right kind of words we should use and the right way to use them.

When our son was born, I would sing this song, “Oh be careful little mouth what you say….for the Father up above is looking down in love, oh be careful little mouth what you say.”

Oh be careful lovely ladies what you say. Are you ugly with your words? I’ve been in business, and I’m a mother. Both situations can be very stressful. As the Bible is full of truth, our mouth is a litmus test of what really is our core character. What comes out reveals how desperately wicked we truly are. The closer we get to God, the less we have to say. The closer we get to God’s Word and take on HIS wisdom the more we respond in the Spirit.

As a believer, we have the power to use our words for His glory or foolishly. He alone can motivate and enable us to speak words that give true life.

Be careful with your words. They have a destiny.

God loves you and so do I!

Deborah

Sowing Seeds

noreply@blogger.com (Deborah Choma) — Tue, 10 May 2011 15:17:00 +0000

"Oh that men would praise the Lord for His goodness, and for His wonderful works to the children of men!" Psalm 107:8

My son and I had a most productive day yesterday. Instead of math and comprehension, I gave him a lesson in soil and seed management. Step by step, I took him through the stages of preparing, planning, and planting seeds.

We took all our collectibles (in the form of cardboard egg cartons), and for drainage purposes, pierced holes at the base of each compartment. Next, we transferred them outside onto a table, where we filled each compartment with seeding soil.

Caleb then pushed holes into the soil with a specific tool (a golf tee). I showed him how to refer to the planting depths, which were indicated on each seed packet.

With Old-fashioned Sweet Pea seeds in hand, he proceeded to sow them into each hole. Next, he sowed Organic Kale seeds. This whole process took 1-hour. We then transferred the egg cartons outside, where he hand-sprayed them until the soil was moist. We then slipped the cartons inside a zip lock bag, to create humidity and keep the moisture contained and back onto the seeds.

Then it was time to do the hard thing! We have a 110-sq.ft area behind our cottage. This lays dormant during the winter months and is transformed into a vegetable garden in Spring. During the month of April and the beginning of May, we weed and aerate this area, ready for planting. It's hard work!

Sowing seeds is an achievable process, even for a 7-year old. With the help of others,' it's easy to do. I have transferred knowledge onto my son, and now I'm transferring responsibility onto him. If he does not keep the seeds moist, they will never germinate. If they germinate, begin to grow, and he never transplants them into the vegetable garden, they will not reach their full potential. In fact, they will become root bound and eventually die. The initial sowing will all be in vain, if we fail to follow through and finish what we started.

Everything in life has a spiritual application.

The Christian life is a whole lot like my garden. There are times in our walk, when our lives get choaked with the weeds of pride and iniquity. If I left the weeds in my garden, I would not have cultivated and good conditions for planting new seedlings. In other words, if we don't allow God to weed pride out of our life, we will never grow or bear fruit.

Every step in the Believer's life is for a greater purpose. You may not see progress, but faithfulness in reading our Bible, and in a prayer life that is being developed all the time - will bear fruit.

God is able to use us to our full potential, if we stay yielded to Him. When we humbly seek Him, He delivers us.

Is there something you need delivering from? Have you been in a cycle of depression for many years?

Every day, I seek God and ask Him for wisdom, which in turn, enters my home without fail. I would encourage you, over the next 40-days, to read and re-read Psalm 107. Keep a journal, and prior to reading this specific chapter, pray this prayer;

"Father, Jehovah - I invite you into my heart today. As I read your Words, I pray that you will bring healing into my life. Deliver me from the bondage of pride and iniquity. May your truth shed light in all my secret thoughts. Show me your ways Lord, and teach me how to praise you for your goodness. Show me your wonderful works.

The Bible says that my heart is deceitfully wicked and that even I cannot know or understand my ways. I don't understand myself Lord; my ways, my thoughts, my motives, my fears. But only you know my heart!

I invite you into those deep, secret places, to bring healing and restoration.

"I can do all things..." through you alone Lord! Please show your wonderful works through me, that others' may observe the changes in me, and shall understand more fully your lovingkindness.

Help me to humbly seek you, and deliver me from my iniquity. Give me the grace and strength to complain less, and praise you more. Help me to see the hand of God in all things, including my affliction.

Oh praise you Lord for your goodness, and for your wonderful works!

You breathed everything into existence, and my own life is meaningless and fruitless without you.

Send your Word into my heart today, and heal me. Deliver me from anything that would destroy your great work in me." - Amen

Pray this prayer prior to reading Psalm 107 - for 40-days straight. Allow no provision for failure. Keep a journal, and write God thoughts each day.

There is no one but self that keeps us from moving on in life. When we all get to the judgment seat of Christ, there will be no finger pointing. We will individually be accountable for what we did and did not do in this life. There will be no excuses! There will be no one to blame for our pride!

Are you sowing seeds of righteousness in your life and the life of your children? Are you transferring wisdom from God's precious Word to your children and grandchildren? Is your own life choked with the weeds of pride, bitterness, and contention?

Allow God to expose those things in your life that stop you from moving on, growing, and doing for others.

God has great plans for us all!

I love you and I believe in you,
Deborah

My Tears

noreply@blogger.com (Deborah Choma) — Fri, 01 Apr 2011 14:01:00 +0000

"...Wilt thou be made whole?" John 5:6b

I'm an ordinary woman living an extraordinary life. It's not difficult to come to this conclusion, when your life hangs in the balance of God's mercy and strength for each day.

I know God desires for me is to fulfill my purpose and transfer wisdom onto the next generation of women. Fifty-Seven times more than anything else I have written, people from all over the world have sought information on Depression. People want answers and with all the available information, Depression is on the increase. Mind altering drugs are not the solution! Technology is advancing all the time. At an alarming rate, new Anti-Depressants and Mood Stabilizers are coming onto the market, yet they address the symptoms and do not pin point the cure.

Unfortunately, pharmaceutical Anti-Depressants further compound the Depression, and in some cases, there is irreversible organ and brain damage. For each specific drug, there are multiple side effects.

Has it ever occurred to you, that if depression is at an all time high in women of this generation, what will the statistics reveal in the next generation? Our responsibility ought to encompass what we leave behind for others to benefit from.

We are not merely on this earth to live the life of a sea sponge. If God wanted us to be self-absorbed, we would live at the bottom of the ocean. What this generation needs are godly people to instruct our children and young people with the knowledge they will need to not repeat the patterns of Depression and Narcissism.

God, who created Heaven and Earth, is the same yesterday, today, and forever! He created the first man and woman. He created everything on this earth. He is able to heal the broken hearted, and He is able to heal your mind! Very often, we have not because we ask not.

The only 'guaranteed to work 100% or your insanity back' Anti-Depressant on the market, is called "OTHERS!"

There is so much ground to cover in the field of depression, but it all brings us back to the same conclusion, the solution is in living for others not ourselves!

A solution so simple yet sophisticated in its long term results. It's too basic for our stubborn, modern, advanced, reactive, proud, and educated ears. None of us want to admit that we are basically selfish and full of pride. A great daily figuartive exercise that would enable us to reset our thoughts and embrace the day with truth, would be found in this phrase; I admit that "I AM PROUD AND SELFISH!"

There are a high percentage of women, who allow themselves to accept bad patterns of thinking, and like a perpetual treadmill, they never jump off and embrace good exercising for their brain. What's good for our brain is the Word of God, Bible based preaching, and walking with wise women who have a living testimony of their own balanced life. Plug into truth!

When we reach this milestone in the Christian life, we are able to move onto establishing our steps for the day. I ask God for His mercy and truth continuously.

For the most part, we make provision for our flesh to believe the lies we use to convince ourselves that we're OK. The litmus test is in our tongue. At the root of every critical word about someone else is a self-condeming statement, "I'm right, you're wrong. I'm good, you're bad!"

It's not OK to talk about others behind their backs. What we say shines the spotlight on how wicked our heart really is. When I feel my feet slipping into the shoes of criticism, I very quickly make a decision to be a blessing to that lady.

This is transferred through my words either directly to the person, on a card I may send them, or through an act of kindness that I know will bring encouragement into their lives. Why do I do this? Because I desperately need it and so do you! In addition, it transmutes self onto "Others."

I'd like to recap what I wrote 2-years ago in my article "Tears In A Bottle." Necessary Supplements for Depression

Prayer - He is the Creator of our brain. He numbers and knows intimately, all our thoughts. The garbage we believe about failure and hopelessness is documented by the Creator of our mind. "Thou tellest my wonderings..." He places our prayers like rose-petals between the pages of His book of remembrance. "...are they not in thy book?" Yes they are! When at last the volume is open, our precious fragrance will spring forth! Our prayers are sweet to Him! Prayers are instantly noticed in Heaven!

Others - We were created to glorify God in everything we do. Embracing this truth will release the strongholds of Depression. It's not about us!

"Dear Father, Forgive me for ignoring wisdom for so long. Help my unbelief, and shine your light of truth into my heart. Give me your wisdom. You promise me that you not just hear my cries, but that you catch my tears. Thank you for loving me so much and for what the cross represents. Step-by-step, as I read your Word, increase my knowledge and shine the light of truth on my thoughts. Bless me with clear direction for my life. Be merciful to me. Refresh and renew my spirit with your knowledge and truth. Place a hedge of protection around my thoughts and my goings this day. I pray for strength as I take one day at a time. Show me who I can be a blessing to today Lord? Guide me and create in me a fresh perspective on my life and purpose. Fill me with your guiding Spirit and cleanse my thoughts today. I need you and I invite you to enable me to become everything I was created to be." Amen

When we walk in the Spirit each day, God will give us others to think about. What I mean by this statement, is that, at any given time during the day, the name of another woman will pop into your mind. You didn't think of it - God gave you the thought! Just this week, the Holy Spirit placed a lady on my heart and I wrote her a card of encouragement as follows;

Dear .......,

I have prayed for you and your husband every day this week, that God would give you grace and strength for each day. As I spent time in my Bible this morning, a verse popped out and grabbed my heart: "The impotent man answered, Sir, I have no man, when the water is troubled, to put me into the pool: but while I am coming, another steppeth down before me. Jesus saith unto him, rise, take thy bed, and walk." John 5:7,8

There are times in my life when I have said in my heart, "This is hopeless!" My efforts seemed fruitless. What a picture of being at Mercy's Gate! When it seems that all hope is gone, remind yourself that He's just a prayer away. Hold on and persevere! God will Divinely meet your need. He never fails! Just as the man lay helplessly at the pool for thirty-eight years, waiting for the Angel to move the waters; at a certain season, one afflicted person had one opportunity for one season. The odds were against the impotent man. Jesus met him in his affliction, minus the Angel and the pool. The solution was supernatural!

I never like the squeeze placed on me by my circumstances, especially when they are beyond our means. But our Saviour proves me over and over, that what I can't do - He can! I love you..... God Bless You and Your Husband."

As I posted my letter, I was reminded of how there is always someone out there who needs encouraging. The love of God is transferred when we gift others with our words. If you have suffered from Depression for any length of time, I pray that God will break through the chains of your sorrow, and shine hope into your heart. He is able - are you willing?

I love you and I believe in you!

Deborah

Home Beautiful

noreply@blogger.com (Deborah Choma) — Sun, 13 Mar 2011 21:01:00 +0000

"That our sons may be as plants grown up in their youth; that our daughters may be as corner stones, polished after the similitude of a palace:" Psalm 144:12

For a considerable amount of time, I searched for an appropriate picture that would personify what 'Home Beautiful' means to me. After much deliberation, this admirable row of Kookaburra's won my quest for the perfect pic.

Where our city view apartment nestled in Sydney, we were privy to these fine, meaty birds on a daily basis. Because our pet Princess Parrot, Sarah, had her wrought iron palace adorned with fresh bark, Grevillea, Bottlebrush, nuts, and branches of Eucalyptus trees; it required us to take bush walks at dawn, arming ourselves with the fresh foliage and food. Often, we were greeted by a row of laughing Kookaburra's. It was delightful!

I've always kept a beautiful home. Thanks to my fabulous Father, I'm very house conscious and have pin-point-laser detailing built into my DNA.

The closer I get to God, the more I understand a home is to be where your heart is. I'm grateful for what I have, especially my hero of a husband, beautiful girls, and a future modern day knight - our son.

It's not our estate and land that counts, it's the estate of our heart which makes the difference between being happy and balanced in this busy paced life.

Being Australian born and residing in Sydney for most of my life, I am now a permanent resident of America. We celebrated six-years of being here on March 4th.

After devoting my reading and writing skills to this unique blog, you may of wondered why I dropped off Blog land in September 2010. I've certainly missed sharing the knowledge and wisdom that God has bestowed upon my stubborn soul, but it's all good and I look forward to embarking on my literary talents once again.

Suffice to say, I started a business in September 2010 called 'Home Beautiful.' In addition, I've been writing a book and compiling lots of material for you to chew over and enjoy.

In the not-too-distant-future, you will see me pop up again. In the meantime, there are over one hundred devotions in the archives for you to read and re-read. These are life-changing and life-challenging, so don't brush it off as just another boring blog - it isn't!

Unfortunately in Blog Land, there are plenty of things to distract us and very few things that will impact our lives. Make a choice to choose what you read and resist the time wasters' that infect most of us on a daily basis.

I Love You,
Deborah

A Life Lived With Accurate Purpose

noreply@blogger.com (Deborah Choma) — Tue, 21 Sep 2010 16:42:00 +0000

"For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother's womb." Psalm 139:13

Before we were born, we were under the control and guardianship of God. Like a weaver poised at his spinning wheel, God has precisely placed each strand of our lives...all our thoughts and all our feelings are known by Him before they are known by us.

I have been saved for thirty-seven years and I feel like I'm meeting my Daddy for the very first time.

We are often bound by an eclipsed view of our Heavenly Father. Many of us have been taught that the God of the Bible is a mean, demanding, angry taskmaster and that if we don't please Him, horrible things will happen to us. Try as we might to delight Him, we are never good enough and we end up feeling rejected and all alone.

But that isn't your Father. It's the devil masquerading as Him to abuse your love, devour your joy, and destroy your life.

Apart from my husband, my Father is one of the greatest men that have every lived. At the age of four, my mother spent most of her final years in the cardiac ward of a hospital in Sydney, Australia. My Father provided for and protected me and my three siblings. He worked long and hard hours to ensure a roof remained over our heads, clothes were on our backs, food was in our tummies, and hospital bills were up-to-date.

It was a tough road for such tender little ones, but a road that God used to build my character and strengthen my resolve to fight on against all odds. He trained me and taught me how to be truthful, grateful, and hard-working.

As I scan my life from a mature perspective, I wonder how I made it! As I sit on the sideline of what has been a twisty track of trials and triumphs, I know how I made it – by His Grace and His Strength!

My life had a purpose and my potholes were His peaks.

Has it ever occurred to you, that YOU have a very real purpose and in God's eyes, you are His princess! He knew you before you were conceived and He knows what you need to be happy – you need Him!

If God is not a very real part of your life, I would encourage you to change that. The line between tragedy and triumph is not a wide one in the heart of God. Whatever your past or your present, in God's eyes, you are His Bride!

His timing is always accurate. If we had spiritual eyes to see and understand the trials in our lives, we would not want to change anything. He is in control even when our life is out of control.

I pray the following facts will encourage your heart and connect you to the Creator of this Universe – the one who created you and understands who you are and what you need.

God's accuracy may be observed in the hatching of eggs.

For example:

The eggs of the potato bug hatch in 7 days
Those of the canary in 14 days
Those of the barnyard hen in 21 days
The eggs of ducks and geese hatch in 28 days
Those of the mallard in 35 days
The eggs of the parrot and the ostrich hatch in 42 days

(Note: they are all divisible by seven - the number of days in a week!)

Our lives are ordered by the Lord in a beautiful way for His glory, if we will only entrust Him with our life. When we try to regulate our own life, it will only be a mess and a failure. Only the One Who made the brain and the heart can successfully guide them to a profitable end.

God's wisdom is seen in the making of an elephant. The four legs of this great beast all bend forward in the same direction. No other quadruped is so made. God planned that this animal would have a huge body, too large to live on two legs. For this reason He gave it four fulcrums so that it can rise from the ground easily.

The horse rises from the ground on its two front legs first. A cow rises from the ground with its two hind legs first. How wise the Lord is in all His works of creation!

God's wisdom is revealed in His arrangement of sections and segments, as well as in the number of grains:

Each watermelon has an even number of stripes on the rind
Each orange has an even number of segments
Each ear of corn has an even number of rows
Each stalk of wheat has an even number of grains
Every bunch of bananas has on its lowest row, an even number of bananas, and each row decreases by one. Continually alternating, every row has an even number and the next row an odd number

The waves of the sea roll in on shore twenty-six to the minute in all kinds of weather.

All grains are found in even numbers on the stalks, and the Lord specified thirty fold, sixty fold, and a hundredfold - all even numbers!

God has caused the flowers to blossom at certain specified times during the day. Linnaeus, the great botanist, once said; "If I had a conservatory containing the right kind of soil, moisture and temperature, I could tell the time of day or night by the flowers that were open and those that were closed!"

Thus the Lord in His wonderful grace arranges our lives when we entrust it to His care in such a way that it will carry out His purposes and plans. We will be fragrant with His presence.

Only the God-planned safe life is successful. Only the life given over to the care of the Lord is fulfilled.

I love how He continues to work in our lives no matter what this world throws at us.

Live gently in the world! There's enough pain as it is without our adding to it.

I Love You,

Deborah

Feed the Need

noreply@blogger.com (Deborah Choma) — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 10:24:00 +0000

"As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby: If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious." 1 Peter 2:2-3

Breast milk is best! For those of us able and willing to breast feed, it is both rewarding and fulfilling.

I'm an old-fashioned mother in a new-fashioned world. My ministry is my home. This standard is snubbed by a self-gratifying philosophy embedded in the world and unfortunately, Christian homes.

I am not here to align my values with the world. My life mirrors what I value the most - God's opinion.

As I read these verses, I spent a considerable amount of time reflecting on God's poetic phrasing. I'm not sure how you are wired, but for me to embrace the truth, I meditated on breast feeding. Why did God choose the parallel between nursing and the Believer's ultimate goal? Prior to man's fall in the garden, our sincere desire was to seek God. He was the object of our pursuit. God alone satisfied our cravings and our needs.

When man made a choice to sin, our desire to do right vaporized. The result is that our running shoes are pointed in the opposite direction from God. Our ways mirror our wants. For the most part, we want what we want not what He wants! Our desire is no longer focused on the pursuit of our Creator. What drives us is 'self.'

Seeking God does not come naturally. A resolve to pursue God will give us the pleasure and fulfillment we need. We were created for a relationship with God. No thanks to Eve, and we must now retrain our senses and our motives - "As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word..."

Getting back to basics is a great precursor to getting back to God. For most of my life as a Believer I'm regularly going backwards in my thinking to grow forward in my understanding. Going backwards represents getting back to basics or being "As newborn babes..."

When Caleb was born he immediately desired breast milk. For a long time I felt like I was a jersey cow rather than a woman. All he wanted was mama's milk. He did not have to articulate this. I knew by the wriggling arms and legs.

As a newborn baby, if I were to offer him a banana he would still have chosen breast milk. If I had offered him a piece of chocolate, he would still have chosen breast milk. There WAS no replacement for what he needed and what his heart desired.

It occurred to me that this is uniquely how God wants us to desire His Words and the nourishment they provide for every Believer. Without His Word we are weakened and malnourished as Christians.

Over time, Caleb's growth became apparent. His clothes were not shrinking. He began to expand and strengthen. What I provided as a mother was precisely what Caleb needed to grow strong and develop properly. The Bible is the sincere milk we must all drink from. When we decline to spend time reading the Word of God, we forfeit knowing Him more and growing in our faith. Would you expect a baby to grow without the nutrients he/she needs? How then can we anticipate joy when we don't have the fuel to move forward?

"It is little, says he, which I know of myself, less of God, least of Jesus Christ: Oh! That by conversing with His Word, I might know him more, and serve Him better."

We must all reach a place in our walk with God where we are active and operate on a desire to feed from His precious Book. The endeavor of every sincere Believer ought to be the Word of God: we find food to strengthen us---we can never be satisfied without it---we cannot be satisfied with a little of it.

The Lord is gracious! His Word ought to be the Christian's delight.

"How sweet are thy words unto my taste! yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth" Psalm 119:103

You will never regret getting into His Word each day. In fact, the growing Christian will regret that they negected to read it.

I Love You
Deborah

Your Goodness?

noreply@blogger.com (Deborah Choma) — Wed, 12 May 2010 18:36:00 +0000

A yellow finch feeding from the Queen Anne sunflowers we planted in the Summer of 2009.

"According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:" 2 Peter 1:3

When our son was a baby, I would place him in the pram and take him outside as I pegged my washing on the line. That gives you an indication of how pleasant Sydney's weather is for most of the year.

As I hung the clothes Caleb would be kicking his feet under our Valencia tree. The movement of the pram would shake the orange blossoms and they would trickle into the pram and on his face. The smell was intoxicating! As spring arrived we would repeat the whole process only the blossoms were now pea-sized baby oranges. They would shake on the trees as he kicked his little feet. He loved it and it was an enjoyable activity while I hung the washing.

During the summer months we filled pails and pails with our Valencia oranges. They were incredibly delicious! We had so many we would eat them thrice daily and share the remainder with the church folk.

I love simple!

Another highlight of my life is gardening. As I get my hands dirty plucking the weeds and looking for the seedlings popping up through the soil, I use this time to talk to God.

There are so many parallels in the Christian woman's life and God's creation. When I don't weed my garden beds it is difficult for me to find cultivated soil to plant the seeds into. If I plant them amongst the weeds they have very little chance to grow. They usually end up in the compost as unfulfilled seed. Weeds have a way of growing faster, stronger, and eventually overtaking anything you plant.

There's something about kneeling before God whether it's by my bed, the couch, or in the garden. As I pull the weeds I ask God to show me the weeds in my own life that choke the seeds of His love and goodness out. My prayer goes something like this, "Please God, show me the weed of pride today. Give me wisdom, strength, and the understanding I need to pluck the weed of self out of my life." As I yield myself to God in this way I ask Him to replace the empty soil with the precious seeds of His Word. It doesn't stop there! As I water the seeds I ask God to continue to feed me from His living Word and to fill my life with richness and new growth.

I like to see progress and I like to smell success – in my garden and in my walk with God. Between being a wife, a mother, active in a ministry, sitting in my office at work, or fellowshipping with other like-minded Believers; my daily routine of preparing, planting, and pampering the soil of my soul is my first priority.

God's Word penetrates the soil of our soul and pulls the weeds of pride - roots and all.

The Goodness of God bears fruit if we yield ourselves to Him. I want my life to be a box of produce. The tasty treats that we share with others are merely the fruit of God's goodness reflecting in our own lives. The Believer's faith ought to be exercised each day as surely as we would exercise our physical body; being daily in His Word, having godly fellowship with other like-minded Believers, and by yielding ourselves to be Spirit-controlled in our walk with God.

This morning I was reminded of God's goodness. As my heart was pricked the tears flowed uncontrollably. Our son often hears me sobbing in prayer. He calls them "Mummy's God-tears."

The God of this world loves to hear our tears as we pour our hearts out before Him.

I have increased my Bible reading and my praying this year. Because God has more input into my life I can see changes I never imagined were possible, not to mention necessary.

We never see ourselves as God does!

His Divine nature will bring about the goodness of God through us if we are yielded to Him each day. I need God's goodness. I need my Salvation. I want to be a reflector of the goodness of God to a lost world.

Doing good is the goodness of God that people can tangibly see.

If you desire a life filled with the fruit of God's goodness, then your desire will become your signature fragrance IF you follow these steps:

Goodness is found In the Word of God

It's important to read the Word of God daily. The goodness of God is found in the Bible. There is a good question I ask myself each day - "Who is my decision maker?" I constantly have to work on this. My guide is not what I think. My guide is God's Word and what He thinks about the issues of life; the words out of my mouth; the things I listen to or read; the friends I keep; the good things I do for others; the way I conduct my finances; what pulls for my attention more than Him; the way I dress; my attitudes; my eating habits; what I watch or look at on the internet.

Goodness Comes Through Godly Fellowship

Have you ever had a bad feeling after you spent time with someone? Has it ever occurred to you that your conversation has left someone else with a bad feeling? Do you care what you say to others? Are your words chaste? That's a Biblical principle that means "Are your words pure and incorrupt?"

My spirit and my attitude can be greatly affected by the company I keep with other women. I choose who I fellowship with carefully. The Bible gives us the guidelines for how we ought to conduct our conversation with other women.

"Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ: that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel;" Philippians 1:27

One spirit…one mind…striving together for what? For the faith of the gospel! God wants us to be simple and plain in our habits.

There ought to be something in our manner, our speech, our dress, and our complete behavior, that magnifies simplicity. If our life is to resemble the gospel we must shun sin. Anything that hinders our perfect conformity to Christ is to be avoided; for His sake, for our own sake, and for the sake of others. We should strive day by day to ensure our conversation is in accordance with His gospel.

Most recently I phoned a close friend and shared with her how God had convicted me of the content of our recent verbiage. I love spending time with this friend and by God's grace I was able to realign our relationship with that of God's standards. I suggested that before we have fellowship that we pray for a hedge around our words; speech that is God glorifying, encouraging, and edifying. Whenever our conversation strays from a Biblical standard of conduct, we pause for a moment and change the conversation to what we know would please God. Is this easy? No, it's most difficult for the average Christian woman and very difficult for friends who have become familiar with each other.

Unfortunately, the 'norm' for Christian women is free-flowing and unaccountable conversation. Anything goes as long as we're having a good time! With the wrong words we bring shame and reproach to ourselves and to the subject (usually another woman) in our conversation.

Has it ever occurred to you that if a woman is talking badly about another woman to you she WILL talk badly about you to someone else!

Goodness Is Produced Through Our Walk with God

We are His workmanship - the good works of our witness and the good works of serving others. People know us by our fruit - the product of our walk with God.

"Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven." Matthew 5:16

Is there goodness in my heart? Am I yielding myself to the Holy Spirit?

Don't loose the opportunity of doing something good for someone. Our lives are a vapour. The thought enters our mind (that's the Holy Spirit), and yielding puts the thought into action. That's God's goodness through us and onto others. If we are not yielded to the Holy Spirit the thought enters our mind and then vaporizes into doing nothing for others.

"Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away." James 4:14

We are the recipients of the goodness of God all the time. Sadly, for the most part it goes unnoticed.

I prepare myself to receive God's goodness and I'm fine tuning the receptors in my mind to be sensitive to every good thing which comes from above. God loves us to embrace His goodness and he loves a grateful heart. He looks for opportunities to flex His love and goodness muscles all the time.

After a long, cold, snowy winter, I have started to weed and prepare our garden beds. Three weeks later and I am almost finished. We live on a very tight budget and I had concluded that buying plants of any kind is completely out of our financial equation. I could have despaired and left the various garden beds filled with weeds. Because I base my life on faith and not facts, I have done all I can to make our yard look well kept.

Just a few days ago as I walked through the gardens after work, I prayed this prayer; "Lord, thank you for my home and my garden. I love what you have given me. The soil is mostly bare and that's OK! Lord, it would be so good to have some plants and I'm anticipating what you provide."

This prayer was between me and God. I said nothing to my husband. A woman's words can reflect on the man's ability to provide. My husband is a wonderful provider. Having no money to purchase plants does not equate to him being a poor provider. It's a blessing to have a garden – an extra blessing!

One of my girlfriends phoned me last night and this is what she said (remember…my prayer was between me and God).

"Deborah, I want to take you to Home Depot tomorrow and we can buy plants for our gardens!" Glory to God…His goodness just grew.

One day when God so chooses, our lives will be entirely gone on this earth. It will disappear altogether. The works of art that man has made, the houses that we build and fill with a whole lot of unnecessary and expensive stuff; it all remains for a little time but our life will go. There will be nothing of it remaining -- any more than the morning vapour which climbs silently up the mountain side.

I have a new motto for life, "Do good – don't wait!"

If you have trusted Christ as your Saviour then your life counts for eternity. One day we will be called before the judgment seat and we will all have to give an account for the Words we said. The Bible says that our words will be judged!

Do you give the gift of words in your marriage and your home? Are you good to those in your workplace? Do you leave a trail of goodness wherever you go and when your life is over on this earth will others' say?.. "God's love and goodness glowed through her!"

"Father,

We love how good you are to us. Give us wisdom and understanding today in a very tangible way. We need to see your love through the good things you do for us and we need to do good for others. Help us to be tuned into the opportunities for both.

Forgive us for withholding good, especially in our marriages and our homes. Forgive us for withholding good through neglecting opportunity. We need you Lord and we need you to change the way we see ourselves and the way we see others.

Please help us to grow in grace. We want to be Spirit-filled Christians, sensitive to the words we use and what effect they have on others.

Bring fruit into our lives Lord and help us to make a difference. We give you the glory for all goodness and thank you for the gift of your precious Word.

We Love You" – Amen

…and I Love You,

Deborah

Marriage - Our Reflector

noreply@blogger.com (Deborah Choma) — Wed, 07 Apr 2010 18:54:00 +0000

"Every wise woman buildeth her house: but the foolish plucketh it down with her hands." Proverbs 14:1

On a scale of 1-10 how would you rate your marriage? How do your children rate your marriage?

As a mature Christian woman, I want to encourage your heart; God is a miracle worker! If your marriage is dead, there are glorious days ahead for you my friend. Our Saviour is in the business of resurrecting the dead.

I want to share wisdom I have gained through my own marriage mistakes. Perhaps God will use my own life to shine truth and hope into your marriage?

There are two main areas of attack from our No.1 enemy – the Devil. The first line of attack is our marriage and our homes. The second line of attack is our children. Don't be deceived; our marriages and our children are being preyed on. Satan watches our lives and targets our weaknesses. It is my experience and my understanding that the mind is our greatest weakness.

Marriage Security List

Our mind will be balanced when our marriage is aligned with God's Word
Our health will benefit when our marriage is aligned with God's Word
Joy will follow when our marriage is aligned with God's Word
Deep personal peace comes when our marriage is aligned with God's Word
Zero marriage maintenance equates to grief and destruction

I am counseling a lady who lives in Australia. We each have a webcam and as long as our time-zones are accurate it works very well. I have asked her permission to use her marriage testimony in my writing. What she is learning and the specific questions I ask her, to be sure, will benefit you in your own marriage. God wants our loves to reflect Him. Our victories become a manual for other women struggling with the same sorts of issues. You are not alone!

When a woman has been in a dysfunctional marriage for any length of time, her mind is always under attack. Unfortunately, it's unavoidable. Eventually, statements such as "I don't know how to feel normal, happy, positive feelings" frequent the lips of women who spin in despair over their marriage.

That's a lie from the devil and he's the No.1 enemy of marriage!

You do know how to feel normal, happy, positive feelings. Your despair is a desire for precisely what you know you would like to feel – happy and positive. If you had never experienced happiness you would not long for it. You may know it but you just don't feel it and most likely haven't for a long time.

That's a ploy of the devil and he's a leech!

Women resort to anti-depressants to solve their marriage problems.

That's a door cracked open for the devil and he will kick it wide open! If you have trusted Christ as your personal Saviour, the devil can never possess you. You are a child of the King however, he can oppress your life.

If our problems were purely physiological, then anti-depressants would take the pain away and we would experience peace, hence joy. Common sense prevails. Our marriage is the key to unlocking and breaking the chains that bind us. Our mind is reflecting our marriage not the other way around.

I have great confidence in the resurrecting of any marriage. If your marriage is dead and lies in ashes, it can be resurrected by a Saviour – the only miracle worker who is in the business of resurrecting the dead!

My marriage will only ever be as fulfilling as my relationship with God is in seeking.

"But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you." All these things? Yes ALL – first and foremost our marriages.

Has it ever occurred to you that God is more interested in what you do with your marriage than anything else that you pour your mind into?

Women often make a statement – "What my husband has done to me and my mind." Error stands to be corrected my friend. Satan was your predator and he is your marriage destroyer not your husband. He alone is responsible for the death of your marriage and the mess in your mind – NOT YOUR HUSBAND!

Your husband is not the enemy. What he has or hasn't done in your marriage has nothing to do with the condition of your marriage. It takes two to make a marriage work; not one man, not one woman, but both husband and wife.

Our husbands will stand accountable before God for their own responsibility and set of rules that govern their job description. We will stand accountable before God for our own responsibility and set of rules that govern our job description.

I have had to learn to draw a circle around myself and live a life of obedience toward God. How my husband responds to me is His business and He answers to God. I am not the Holy Spirit in my husband's life and if there needs to be finger pointing, the convicted will be convicted. What God starts – He finishes!

How I love my husband before God matters. God blesses obedience and as I love my husband unconditionally (as I know God loves me); whether he rights me or wrongs me bares little difference to me continuing on in my job description. I do not base my marriage on a foundation of conditional love. I do not base my marriage on past hurts. I do not build my marriage on excused behavior which should be renamed bad behavior – because it is.

I had to learn to grow up! There are a lot of grown women out there who live and act out their lives as adolescents.

I am no longer bound by the chains that limit my ability to be everything God wants me to be. The chains of my past were broken at the cross just as the chains that hang around your neck should be lifted off and thrown away. The past is the past ladies – let it go!

Praise God that my past does not equal my future and it doesn't for you. I have no doubt that I would not have gone through the sorrow and pain that is inevitable with divorce if I had this wisdom in my early twenties.

Divorce is not an option for you - it would only make you more miserable and you would learn zero from your own accountability standpoint. I don't speak of the sin you are aware of, I speak of the iniquity you live with (and we all do). Iniquity is the excuses we make for sinning. Bad behavior is a sin and bad marriages are full of bad behavior.

Don't regret your marriage. Those words belong in Satan's sewer. I have no regrets with my marriage. We have grown to respect and admire each other. Because I live my life in the only light of truth which is God's Word, my marriage is a work in progress. We have been through greater trials than I have ever had to face in my life prior to this time.

The forces of darkness are out to destroy our marriages and so, we must claim the power of the resurrection every day. The same power that overcame death is available to us all. Isn't that glorious?

My friend, you need to close some doors. Just this week, I have prayed very specific prayers on closing the doors on unclean and unfamiliar spirits. My past was filled with doors that were cracked and that Satan kicked wide open. I am now claiming my life back from his oppressive clutches.

I don't know it all yet but what I do know is that my life is now on coarse and through the trials of life, I can expect to experience the power of an all-powerful and supreme God who is in control of my life and will not just enable, but will equip me for a victory that awaits us all. The battle is not ours – it's the Lord's!

Your marriage may be dead and now it is time to start over. Stop looking back at the wrong – the fingers point in both directions! The beast in your home is Satan not your husband; a man desperately needs a wife – that wife is YOU my friend.

Don't take the fractured wood and expect to build your home again. Let it go! Leave your dead marriage behind and start afresh. It begins with forgiveness and unconditional love. We all have the power to forgive and we all have the power to love unconditionally. After all, we are made in the image of our Father who IS forgiveness and who IS unconditional love. You need to tap into this!

God holds us accountable for building our homes – "Every wise woman buildeth her house: but the foolish plucketh it down with her hands." Proverbs 14:1

I've been a foolish woman in the past. Thank God it's under the blood and that what I do NOW counts for eternity. My past is just that – it's my past. In God's eyes I'm a princess and the Queen of a gorgeous castle; a haven for my husband and my adorable son. I am so passionate about my marriage and my children that nothing pulls for my attention more than that. When I find myself off balance, I correct it immediately. That process is repeated daily!

One of you has to begin; begin with what's good. Begin with what's right. Begin with the love that our Saviour unconditionally bestows upon you each and every day. None of us deserve His love. While we were stinkers – He gave!

"But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." Romans 5:8

Has it ever occurred to you that the root cause of all marriage problems is pride? I lock Mrs. Pride up in the closet every day. She has such control over me that if I allow that closet door to crack open, the damage takes a great deal longer to repair than the nails I've driven hard through the door to provide protection and security in my marriage.

God hates pride!

"The fear of the LORD is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate." Proverbs 8:13

It is because pride is such a marriage destroyer that I resolve myself to study from the Bible every verse and parable on pride. I want to keep myself in tune with my own potential stronghold.

One step at a time; you cannot rebuild your marriage overnight. Dig the foundation first. Then start on the pillars to support your new marriage and each step of the way will be an architectural masterpiece. Allow the same resurrected Saviour to resurrect your marriage into a beautiful and glorious marriage that will grow to become a reflector of Christ – a reflector of miracles.

I love you - Deborah

Mercy Receptor

noreply@blogger.com (Deborah Choma) — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 11:39:00 +0000

“Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.” Matthew 5:7

As a woman who has a close daily walk with God, I seek wisdom for each area of my life; as a wife, as a mother, in my relationships, my workplace and in my goals. I offer myself as a living sacrifice to God and ask Him to guard my tongue, place filters on my eyes and ears, and to give me an attitude-check on what I say and do.

There is no greater influence in my life than my relationship with Jesus Christ. He is my life-coach and His Word is my manual.

Mercy has been in the spot-light for me this week. I've learned more about mercy than I can recall having learned prior to this time. The older I get and the more I mature in my faith, the greater my understanding of what mercy means to me personally and to my life as I transfer it onto others. It doesn't surprise me that my focus is on such a beautiful topic - I need mercy...oh, I need mercy!

Throughout our daily lives there are many opportunities for us to demonstrate mercy.

As a mother I encourage you to use your homes as a classroom for mercy. I use the routine of our lives as a tool for training our son in giving and receiving mercy. It's no surprise as I develop my walk with God that He develops my ability to look and prepare for what I call "golden opportunities."

Most recently Caleb was the recipient of mercy instead of something stronger and more deserved. As mothers, the same power we have to exercise discipline is the same power we can use to train our little ones in mercy. Sometimes restraining has a greater impact in training. Caleb said, "Are you going to tell me about mercy mama?" He then collapsed on the bed sobbing as the love and mercy of a mother impacted him.

Great things are simple aren't they?

Tears often well up in my own eyes as I connect the dots and feel the impact of the love and mercy of my Lord and Saviour. Teaching our children these precious truths will impact their lives in a most profound way. They too will grow to understand the love and mercy of God; a God powerful enough to turn the impossible into reality and yet be very real in our own personal lives.

He adores us and is very aware of what we do in private that imparts His greatness and His goodness.

There are 6-famous quotes on mercy and yet the impact of mercy is the air I breathe and could not survive with in its absence. In the Scriptures "mercy" is used 265-times and "merciful" is used 40-times.

Mercy is important to God.

Not a week goes by where I am given a gift that meets a specific need. Most recently a girlfriend unexpectedly visited me with such a gift. Totally unaware, she met a great need. Carefully planned, His mercy came knocking on my door.

Nothing goes unnoticed by God. In fact, He is Creator and Provider of everything connected and needed for this life on earth.

Jesus Christ typifies this, “in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8

In our stead; He has saved us from death. He has taken our place and by dying Himself on the cross He has saved us from dying eternally in hell - that's mercy!

We deserve His displeasure. What He gave was eternally beyond what we could ever earn or be worthy of.

Does the love and mercy of God impact you? Nowhere do we imitate God more than in showing mercy. The exercise of mercy delights God more than any other act of good Christianity. It is He alone that parts the clouds of compassion and ignites the chemistry that binds mercy into action.

The closer I get to God the more I find myself as a mercy receptor. I am very sensitive to God’s mercy through the stimuli of His Word. This translates into acts of kindness toward others and the receiving of kindness from others.

Mercy will follow as you follow Him!

A great preacher once said, "We don't think of anything!" That statement adhered to my mind and has driven me to a deeper understanding of the still quiet voice of God. There have been many times where the Holy Spirit has prompting me to pray for a specific person and I have bowed my head in prayer simultaneously. Unfortunately, there have been times where the Holy Spirit has prompted me with a name of someone and I have continued in my busyness only to have forgotten the name just a mere ten-minutes down the twisty-track of my day.

Aren't you glad that God is never too busy for us?

Do you feel God’s mercy being transferred to you? Specific events should enter your mind and if not, perhaps you need to exercise mercy’s molecules and bind them to someone in need of mercy.

The Bible teaches us to show mercy each day - “Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.” Matthew 5:7

At the same time each morning I drive our son to school. There is a young mother (when you are 50 with a 6-year old...they're all young) with what I would describe as lead-feet. I'm convinced she has lead-lined driving shoes glued to an accelerator permanently on 'fast!'

As an older more mature woman, on more than one occasion, I have felt the twinge to alight from my car and share some driving techniques with her.

Suffice to say, she must love those lead-boots and that still quiet voice keeps reminding me of mercy.

We can't change how others react but what we can control is how we respond. Has it ever occurred to you that the problem may by your attitude?

Another great preacher once said, "Be kind to everyone because everyone's having a bad day!" That's a great rule to live by isn't it?

We are made in the image of our Heavenly Father. It is of great comfort to know that He will not and He cannot disown, in the merciful, the image of Himself. God delights in us and He looks for multiple opportunities to flex His mercy muscles. He doesn't pick and choose mercy recipients; He pours His mercy upon us all - lovingly, freely, and always willingly.

Look for His mercy today and be sensitive to the need for mercy toward others.

Our homes are our classroom for learning and weaving these great truths. Mercy can be woven through our marriages, our child-training; mercy could be an addition to a New Year's Resolution (never too late to make adjustments) and through our trials.

I need mercy and so does someone else!

After studying mercy at great length I have come to the conclusion that mercy is needed in every aspect of my life. Because I have a greater awareness of my own need for mercy I have a greater responsibility to demonstrate mercy toward others.

Guess what? You're more aware now!

Our need of mercy ought to ignite deeds of mercy.

I Love You,

Deborah

Our Teacher & Our Lesson

noreply@blogger.com (Deborah Choma) — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 12:24:00 +0000

"In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge." Colossians 2:3

My goal this year is to seek and love God with my WHOLE heart. I have asked Him to remind me of this intention. I want to reach a day where not 15-minutes pass and my mouth confesses – “I need you Lord!”

My future motto – Reflecting my ways and not just my words: Closely bonded to the Saviour as the brilliant teacher He is.

He is my EXCELLENT INSTRUCTOR! Although able to reveal fresh truth, He preferred to expound the old. He knows by His omniscience what is the most instructive way of teaching; by turning to Moses and the prophets, He showed us that the surest road to wisdom is not speculating, reasoning, or reading human books - but meditating on the Word of God.

The readiest way to be spiritually rich in Heavenly knowledge is to dig in the mine of diamonds, to gather the pearls from this Heavenly Sea. When Jesus Himself sought to enrich others He dug in the quarry of Holy Scriptures.

He who hid the treasures in the field guides searchers to it Himself. Are you a searcher?

Nothing is sweeter than the topic of Himself - His own person and work.

With an eye to these truths, I always search the Word. 2010, I pray for enlarged grace to further study the Bible with Jesus as both my Teacher and my Lesson.

"On Christ the solid Rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand...."

I Love You,

Deborah